24 French divers have been safely rescued after their liveaboard, MV Exocet, sank after striking the corals of Sataya Reef
The scuba diving liveaboard Exocet has sunk in the Red Sea after striking coral reefs near Marsa Alam, Egypt on 26 June. All 24 French tourists on board were successfully rescued before the vessel sank.
The incident occurred at Sataya Reef, home to one of Marsa Alam’s most popular dive sites, Dolphin House. Exocet is reported to have sustained significant damage to its hull after striking the reef in high waves.
The divers and crew onboard were evacuated and transferred to other nearby boats before being returned safely to Marsa Alam. The stricken liveeaboard reportedly drifted at the surface, slowly taking on water before sinking approximately 2km away from the reef.
The 40m-long Exocet, owned by French dive operator Diving Attitude, had been a popular liveaboard since she was first commissioned in 2009, and underwent a significant rebuild in 2015.
In a post on the company’s Facebook Page, Diving Attitude wrote (translated from French) ‘The situation is tough for us who loved it so much, our beautiful boat… But for the whole team of Diving Attitude, the feeling that comes first is especially a great relief to know that all the people present on Exocet have been evacuated quickly and returned safe and sound to Marsa Alam.’
Following the sinking Red Sea Governor, Major General Amr Hanafy, said that a detailed report into the extent of the damage to the coral reef will be compiled.
Egyptian Minister of the Environment, Yasmine Fouad, later announced a thorough investigation to determine the causes and impacts of the accident.
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