The Egyptian Ministry of Environment: A report was received from the Ministry’s Central Operations Room about the sinking of a safari boat called “Ecozoost” in the Sattaeh area, southeast of Marsa Alam, in the Wadi El Gemal Reserve.
The safari boat was exposed to seawater leaking into it while sailing as a result of a hole in the hull resulting from the boat hitting the surface of the water forcefully due to the high waves that were prevailing at the time of the accident.
The Egyptian Ministry of Environment stated that a report had been received from the Ministry’s Central Operations Room about the sinking of a safari boat called “Ecozoost” in the Sattaeh area, southeast of Marsa Alam in the Wadi El Gemal Reserve, and that it collided with coral reefs, which led to a hole in the boat’s hull that led to its sinking.
The Minister of Environment directed that the final report be quickly prepared after inspecting the boat to determine the reasons that led to its deterioration, explain the losses that occurred in the coral reef area, and take appropriate measures in this regard.
The Minister of Environment reviewed the report received from the Red Sea Reserves team responsible for following up on the accident, which included what was reported by the boat’s crew and the tourist group present on it at the time of the accident, revealing that the boat was exposed, while sailing in open water, to sea water leaking into it as a result of an opening in its body. It resulted from a strong collision with the surface of the water, due to the high waves that prevailed at the time of the accident.
Rescue process of the passengers completely without any of them being exposed to danger.
The report said that what happened required the rapid evacuation of the passengers from the boat using the small launches accompanying the boat, as well as requesting assistance from nearby launches using wireless communication devices, which was actually achieved by completing the process of rescuing the passengers completely and without exposing any of them to danger.
The Minister of Environment explained that the report issued by the technical team confirmed that the boat remained almost floating on the surface of the water for several hours until the waves and sea currents pushed it to the Sataeh area located within the scope of the Wadi El Gemal Reserve, adding that it sank completely within its scope in an area estimated to be hundreds of meters deep and far from reef areas. Coral reefs at a distance of more than 2 km.
Did not find that any form of pollution had occurred within the scope of the reserve
The ministry’s report stated that the reserves team followed the vicinity of the area where the boat sank, and they did not find that any form of pollution had occurred within the scope of the reserve, adding that the work team is currently monitoring the sinking area and assessing the environmental condition of the coral reefs in the boat’s sailing path before the accident to verify the validity of the information provided. The boat crew ensures that it does not collide with coral reef areas.
