Two Swiss divers and a local crew member are missing after the liveaboard Galatea sank off the remote Seychelles island of Marie-Louise on Friday, 13 March.
Officials have confirmed that the vessel sank near Marie-Louise Island, more than 250km south of the main Seychelles island of Mahé, shortly after issuing a distress call at 5.37 am local time.
Seven of the passengers on board are reported to be Swiss nationals, with the remainder Seychellois crew, although a complete manifest has so far not been issued.
According to local media reports, nine people were rescued in the immediate aftermath of the sinking and transported by dinghy to nearby Desroches Island, where they received medical attention before being taken to Mahé.
Four people – three Swiss and one Seychellois – were initially reported as missing. A search and rescue operation was launched later that day, including an aircraft from the Seychelles Air Force (SAF).
A Swiss woman was found by rescuers on Friday afternoon and taken to hospital in Mahé, where she was treated for shock, sun exposure, and mild hypothermia.
Officials from the Seychelles Ministry for Transport, Ports and Civil Aviation, Seychelles Maritime Safety Authority (SMSA), Islands Development Company (IDC), and Seychelles Defence Force (SDF) held a joint press conference saying that seven people have been returned to Mahé, where they are said to be in stable condition.
‘Despite still being in shock, the rescued individuals are in stable health,’ said Christian Lionnet, Deputy Chief Executive of the IDC.
‘However, as a precautionary measure, it is essential to conduct the necessary medical evaluations to ensure their wellbeing before proceeding with the required questioning.
The captain of the vessel has been taken into custody for questioning, although there is no indication at this time as to whether any criminal activity has taken place.
Galatea is a 30 metre long, 6.2m wide Turkish steel schooner, originally built in 1987. She was bought by Seychelles-based Blue Sea Divers in 2010 and underwent a total refit in 2012, before embarking on her maiden voyage as a liveaboard in 2013.
According to the boat’s website, Galatea has room for 14 passengers and is operated by a crew of eight, although it is unclear if eight members of crew were on board at the time of the liveaboard’s sinking.
This is a developing news story, we will update as and when new information becomes available.
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