The Red Sea liveaboard Golden Dolphin II has been seriously damaged by fire while docked for maintenance in Hurghada, Egypt.
The blaze occurred less than six weeks after the vessel’s sister ship, Golden Dolphin III, was destroyed by fire while moored off Hurghada.
No divers were on board the boat when the fire broke out, and there are no reported injuries to crewmembers or dock workers.
The incident occurred on the afternoon of Saturday, 27 February, according to a joint statement from Egyptian operator Golden Dolphin Safari World and local regulatory body, the Chamber of Diving and Water Sports (CDWS).
‘Hours ago, a fire broke out aboard the safari boat Golden Dolphin II while it was docked,’ the statement said. ‘The fire started in the upper part of the boat. Thankfully, the incident resulted in no injuries, as there were no divers or guests on board at the time of the accident.
‘The civil protection forces, with the help of the boat’s crew, managed to control the fire. The CDWS is closely monitoring the situation in coordination with the relevant authorities.
‘We are relieved and grateful for everyone’s safety.’
Golden Dolphin Safari World later confirmed that the blaze began on the top deck and caused significant damage.
‘As already known, a fire broke out on the top deck of the Golden Dolphin II on Saturday afternoon,’ a spokesperson wrote in a statement posted on Facebook.
‘In works carried out still outside the dry dock, the fire started and damaged the entire upper deck.
‘Soon the Golden Dolphin II will be towed to the dry dock and repaired. Should there be changes with regard to existing bookings, we will inform you accordingly.’
Pictures posted on social media show that the upper deck of Golden Dolphin II has been seriously damaged by the fire, although the hull and lower deck appear to be intact.
No official cause of the outbreak of the fire has yet been reported.
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