14 Jun Huge Boat Fire in Egypt claims three lives
A fire on a boat in the middle of Egypt’s Red Sea has claimed the lives of three British tourists.
The boat was located off the Elphinstone Reef near the South Eastern Egyptian town of Marsa Alam, when the fire started. A popular destination for diving, beach visiting and scuba tours.
The ship, known as the Hurricane, held fifteen divers, who were exploring the Red Sea. 12 of the divers were in one part of the ship, being briefed on their dive for the day, meanwhile, three others were in their respective rooms.
Captain and two dive guides attempted to locate and rescue the missing passengers whilst the fire overtook the boat.
Local authorities have begun a full investigation, looking into the cause of the fire, Egyptian authorities have stated that the cause of the fire was due to an electrical short circuit.
Boat fires can be particularly lethal due to the trapping nature of such an incident. Individuals can quickly panic due to the confined layout of such a boat, mixed with smoke which can be easily trapped in the low ceilings – causing even lower visibility.