1400+ Passenger Cruise Ship Missing

Fire Fly · Post by **Fire Fly** » 2006-02-03 06:40am

Passenger ship lost in Red Sea
Lifeboats, bodies reported near where ship last seen

Friday, February 3, 2006; Posted: 6:33 a.m. EST (11:33 GMT)

CAIRO, Egypt (CNN) -- An aging Egyptian passenger ship carrying more than 1,400 people has disappeared in the Red Sea off the Saudi coast, officials say.

The ship, the Al Salam Boccaccio 98, left Dubah, western Saudi Arabia, en route to Egypt's southern port of Safaga, a spokesman for the El Islam Maritime Transport Co. told CNN.

State-run Nile Television, quoting the Red Sea governor, said the ship was carrying 1,415 people -- 1,310 of them Egyptians.

"Our understanding now is that there are survivors," said Egyptian Minister of Transport Mohamed Loutfy Mansour, who said the reports came from helicopter pilots.

"The Coast Guard is doing everything in its power to try to rescue the people." Four frigates were expected to arrive at the site soon, he added. (Map of the area)

The Egyptian government has called their Saudi counterparts in the port of Jedda to seek help, he said.

Adel Shoukri told CNN from the company's headquarters in Cairo the ship disappeared at midnight (5 p.m. Thursday ET) from radar screens.

The Egyptian government had initiated a search for the 25-year-old liner, which can carry 1,487 passengers, he added.

Helicopters have spotted bodies floating on the sea and one lifeboat carrying three people in the vicinity of where the ship was last seen on the radar screens, maritime officials told The Associated Press.

The ship was due to have arrived at Safaga at 3 a.m. local time, but did not, the officials added.

CNN's Ben Wedeman said most of those on board would be working-class Egyptians returning to Egypt after taking part in the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.

He said that the weather was not too bad -- though fairly windy with temperatures cooler than the average for the rest of the year. Wederman said that area of the Red Sea sees a lot of shipping traffic as it is near the Suez Canal.

David Osler, of Lloyd's List, told CNN while it was too early to speculate on the cause of the ship's disappearance, the vessel was a roll-on roll-off ferry of design known to suffer stability problems.

"Once a small amount of water gets on board it can set up an uncontrollable rocking that causes rapid capsize," he said.

He said safety standards in the developed world had improved markedly in the after the Pride of Free Enterprise sank at Zeebruge, Belgium, in 1987, killing 193 passengers.

The ship, which was built in 1970, was involved in a collision in 1999, he said.

"This vessel was pensioned off from Italy. It may have been overloaded," he said.

The ship is owned by the Egyptian firm El-Salaam Maritime Transport Co. Some of the passengers are believed to be pilgrims returning from the annual hajj to Mecca, which ended last month.

Post by **Edi** » 2006-02-03 07:16am

If it sank, as looks probable, this is going to be one of the worst maritime disasters of all time in the world. Certainly worse than the loss of Estonia in 1994, and that claimed almost 900 people.

Fuck.

Edi

Chris OFarrell · Post by **Chris OFarrell** » 2006-02-03 07:18am

Holy.....fourteen HUNDRED people....in THIS day and age? In the frigen Red Sea?

wautd · Post by **wautd** » 2006-02-03 07:21am

Oh dear...

Post by **Edi** » 2006-02-03 07:26am

Watching BBC World right now. There are some reports that there were heavy winds in the area, and if there was much heavy wave action, it might have loosened the front visor and allowed water in. Once that happens, it is not a question of if but when and how quickly it would sink. Being grossly overloaded hasn't helped things.

Edi

Burak Gazan · Post by **Burak Gazan** » 2006-02-03 07:30am

The CNN report makes mention of it being windy. I wonder if it was another bow door problem, which is what sank the Estonia, and caused the Herald of Free Enterprise to capsize in 1987. One thing that caught my eye was the "one lifeboat with 3 people" Jesus, only 3 people in one boat? That alone implies to me catastrophic sinking or utter chaos (or both) during the casualty

Not good

Post by **Edi** » 2006-02-03 07:36am

The Estonia went down in 15 minutes once the shit hit the fan. Same probably happened here. BBC just said that 12 survivors have been rescued, and at least 15 bodies recovered, but you can write most of them off. Especially since the accident happened in the small hours of the night.

The BBC news acnhors also just read out loud an email from some people who sailed on that ship six years ago, and they said that it was the worst rustbucket they had ever seen already back then.

Edi

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2006-02-03 07:47am

I read a detailed account in the Atlantic about the sinking of the Estonia. It chills the blood. The lucky, the quick, and the ruthless survived. If your spouse or parent had problems getting up the stairs as the boat listed at an increasingly difficult to climb angle and you stopped to help them, you died too. Some of the survivors left their loved ones behind who urged them to leave and save themselves. It was just absolutely terrible.

Bounty · Post by **Bounty** » 2006-02-03 07:51am

Being grossly overloaded hasn't helped things.

The BBC site says it wasn't overloaded, but that cargo may have started moving.

Ubiquitous · Post by **Ubiquitous** » 2006-02-03 07:56am

HMS Bulwark is on the way. Should arrive in 36 hours, but I guess it's choppers will be avaliable for SAR much earlier than that.

Mange · Post by **Mange** » 2006-02-03 07:57am

Edi wrote:Watching BBC World right now. There are some reports that there were heavy winds in the area, and if there was much heavy wave action, it might have loosened the front visor and allowed water in. Once that happens, it is not a question of if but when and how quickly it would sink. Being grossly overloaded hasn't helped things.

Edi

I'm not sure the ship had a front visor... Anyway, the Swedish site Fakta om Fartyg has some information about the ship (which originally was named M/S Boccaccio). Among other things, it was launched in 1969 and was rebuilt in 1991:

http://www.faktaomfartyg.com/boccaccio_1971.htm

CJvR · Post by **CJvR** » 2006-02-03 07:59am

Im surprized that the casualty list would be that high, the warm Red sea isn't the Baltic where the water sucks the life out of you in minutes. There must have been even less warning than for Estonia.

Burak Gazan · Post by **Burak Gazan** » 2006-02-03 08:01am

The BBC site says it wasn't overloaded, but that cargo may have started moving.

Right now though, thats just speculation. If there was a problem with the bow doors/visor and water entered the car deck, that alone could finish her - vehicles would indeed start to shift around, but by that point it would be far too late. The BBC site says there was no report of an SOS, so this was probably terribly quick

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2006-02-03 08:02am

Idiots.

Ynet wrote: Red Sea disaster: Egypt rejects Israeli aid offer

The Israeli Navy offered its assistance to Egypt in rescuing survivors from the ship disaster in the Red Sea.

Egypt thanked Israel for the offer but said it can handle the rescue operation using its own Navy and Air Force Notably, the Israeli Navy and the port in the southern town of Eilat received no calls for assistance before the ship sunk. (Seya Egozy)

Ubiquitous · Post by **Ubiquitous** » 2006-02-03 08:06am

Ace Pace wrote:Idiots.

Ynet wrote: Red Sea disaster: Egypt rejects Israeli aid offer

The Israeli Navy offered its assistance to Egypt in rescuing survivors from the ship disaster in the Red Sea.

Egypt thanked Israel for the offer but said it can handle the rescue operation using its own Navy and Air Force Notably, the Israeli Navy and the port in the southern town of Eilat received no calls for assistance before the ship sunk. (Seya Egozy)

Words can't describe the arrogance. But of course, it's not the people who make the decision that will suffer, it is the people in the water.

Israel should just send their ships anyway.

Faram · Post by **Faram** » 2006-02-03 08:08am

Imperial Overlord wrote:I read a detailed account in the Atlantic about the sinking of the Estonia. It chills the blood. The lucky, the quick, and the ruthless survived. If your spouse or parent had problems getting up the stairs as the boat listed at an increasingly difficult to climb angle and you stopped to help them, you died too. Some of the survivors left their loved ones behind who urged them to leave and save themselves. It was just absolutely terrible.

The old cliche Women and Children first do not work in real life.

The strong survive and the unlucky dies.

Jason von Evil · Post by **Jason von Evil** » 2006-02-03 08:08am

Ubiquitous wrote:
Ace Pace wrote:Idiots.

Ynet wrote: Red Sea disaster: Egypt rejects Israeli aid offer

The Israeli Navy offered its assistance to Egypt in rescuing survivors from the ship disaster in the Red Sea.

Egypt thanked Israel for the offer but said it can handle the rescue operation using its own Navy and Air Force Notably, the Israeli Navy and the port in the southern town of Eilat received no calls for assistance before the ship sunk. (Seya Egozy)
Words can't describe the arrogance. But of course, it's not the people who make the decision that will suffer, it is the people in the water.

Israel should just send their ships anyway.

And risk a standoff/possible battle?

Sarevok · Post by **Sarevok** » 2006-02-03 10:10am

Ace Pace wrote:Idiots.

Ynet wrote: Red Sea disaster: Egypt rejects Israeli aid offer

The Israeli Navy offered its assistance to Egypt in rescuing survivors from the ship disaster in the Red Sea.

Egypt thanked Israel for the offer but said it can handle the rescue operation using its own Navy and Air Force Notably, the Israeli Navy and the port in the southern town of Eilat received no calls for assistance before the ship sunk. (Seya Egozy)

Words can not describe how I feel about this. There is a chance to bring togather enemies for a common noble cause, like the earthquake in Kashmir did. Yet politics outweighed the lives so many people.

Grand Admiral Mango · Post by **Grand Admiral Mango** » 2006-02-03 12:45pm

BBC Update:

Fourteen bodies and 100 survivors have been pulled from the water, as rescue boats battled poor weather to scour the area before darkness fell.

The al-Salam Boccaccio '98 sank about 80km (50 miles) off Egypt during an overnight trip from Duba, Saudi Arabia.

The cause of the disaster is not known, but there were high winds when the 35-year-old vessel set sail.

The Egyptian transport minister said there had been no concerns about the seaworthiness of the ship.

But President Hosni Mubarak has ordered an immediate inquiry into the cause and circumstances of the sinking.

Most of the passengers were Egyptians working in Saudi Arabia, but some were said to be pilgrims returning from Mecca.

'Dozens of bodies'

The ship vanished after setting sail for Safaga on Thursday evening, but no distress signal was said to have been received by Egyptian officials.

Warships and helicopters have been searching the area, which a spokesman for the Egyptian embassy in London described as "vast".

"Dozens of bodies" had been recovered and several life boats had been spotted, Ayman al-Kaffas told the BBC.

A British warship sent to the area has been recalled, but no reason has been given.

The Egyptian ship was carrying 1,310 passengers and 96 Egyptian crew, Jan Maher, a spokesman for the ship's Egyptian company, el-Salam Maritime Transport, told the BBC.

There were about 100 people from other countries, including Saudis and Sudanese, Capt Maher said.

In Safaga, many anxious families have been waiting for hours for news of their loved ones.

Why?

A presidential spokesman said "the speed at which the ship sank and the fact there were not enough life rafts on board confirm that there was a [safety] problem".

RECENT SHIPPING DISASTERS
2002: Joola, Senegal, more than 1,800
2001: Java, Indonesia, more than 500
1996: Bukoba, Tanzania, more than 500
1994: Estonia, Baltic Sea, 852
1991: Salam Express, Egypt, 464
1987: Dona Paz, Philippines, more than 4,300

"But we cannot anticipate on the results of the investigation," Suleiman Awad told public television.

The general manager of the Saudi branch of maritime insurance company Lloyds said earlier the ship had met all safety requirements.

"The vessel was well equipped with all lifeboats and all her certificates were valid, " Nizam Siddiqui said.

AL-SALAM 98
Capacity: 1,487
Built: Italy 1970
Length: 118m (388ft)
Gross tonnage: 11,779t
Owner: El-Salam Maritime

He ruled out the possibility of a collision with another ship, saying the other vessel would have reported the incident.

Shipping expert Paul Beaver told the BBC that overloading should not have been a problem.

There was a possibility one or more of the vehicles the ship was transporting could have moved, particularly in bad weather, he said.

A sister ship of the al-Salam '98 sank in the Red Sea in October after a collision. Two people were killed and 40 injured.

Crossroads Inc. · Post by **Crossroads Inc.** » 2006-02-03 12:51pm

1987: Dona Paz, Philippines, more than 4,300

Sweet Jeebus!!! How did that happen? Thats more then the Titanic!

Grand Admiral Mango · Post by **Grand Admiral Mango** » 2006-02-03 12:56pm

All i can find:

More than 4,300 people died in a collision between the ferry Dona Paz and an oil tanker in Philippine waters just before Christmas in 1987.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2006-02-03 01:00pm

Mange the Swede wrote: I'm not sure the ship had a front visor...

It clearly does not, if that’s the same ship in the pictures in your link.

Burak Gazan wrote: Right now though, thats just speculation. If there was a problem with the bow doors/visor and water entered the car deck, that alone could finish her - vehicles would indeed start to shift around, but by that point it would be far too late. The BBC site says there was no report of an SOS, so this was probably terribly quick

Or the crew was incompetent, which is not that unlikely in that part of the world; though if the ship did capsize, something the survivors should be able to tell, then it might not matter one way or another. Human error also played a big part in the loss of Estonia, or rather at least the loss of so many people in the process. The engine room crew could see that the vehicle deck was flooding more or less the moment it began through a series of TV monitors, but they didn’t bother to inform the bridge thinking that it was rainwater. But rainwater shouldn’t have been able to enter that area in any significant quantity at all.

Crossroads Inc. wrote: Sweet Jeebus!!! How did that happen? Thats more then the Titanic!

It was a passenger and vehicle ferry designed to carry 1,500 people but it in fact had something like 4350 onboard plus crew. She was rammed by a relatively small oil tanker, sinking both ships. The ferry sank down in only a few minutes, and the ocean was coated in burning fuel, killing almost anyone who went in the water. 2 survived from the tanker, 21 from the ferry.

This is the worst peacetime shipping loss in history, but wartime has it beat in several instances for single ship losses. Titanic is overrated as a disaster. I’m amazed at how many people think it was the largest loss of life and the largest ship outright ever built.

Crossroads Inc. · Post by **Crossroads Inc.** » 2006-02-03 01:06pm

Is anyone else thinking that ships over a certain size simply should not have Bow Doors? Ok, I'm sure they are needed for smaller ships moving cars and fright... But if your a Cruise ship and your holding 1000+ Human lives, I would NOT Like a ship with a front that, if something happend, would suddenly open and cause the ship to sink in seconds.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2006-02-03 01:08pm

I always thought ferries tended to be poorly maintained deathtraps by nature anyway. Even when we get on the dinky little passenger (no car) ferry to go to Toronto's Centre Island park, the first thing I do when I get onboard is take note of where the lifejackets are (luckily, they're everywhere).

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2006-02-03 01:09pm

Crossroads Inc. wrote:Is anyone else thinking that ships over a certain size simply should not have Bow Doors? Ok, I'm sure they are needed for smaller ships moving cars and fright... But if your a Cruise ship and your holding 1000+ Human lives, I would NOT Like a ship with a front that, if something happend, would suddenly open and cause the ship to sink in seconds.

I can't really think of a cruise ship which has bow doors. You only find them on ferries, and military LSTs from which the idea originates. Though the USN at least, abandon bow doors on its final class of LSTs, in part at least because the doors couldn’t be adequately sealed against the water during high speed steaming…

Darth Wong wrote:I always thought ferries tended to be poorly maintained deathtraps by nature anyway. Even when we get on the dinky little passenger (no car) ferry to go to Toronto's Centre Island park, the first thing I do when I get onboard is take note of where the lifejackets are (luckily, they're everywhere).

Some lifejacket designs really suck shit though, and they’ll become waterlogged and cease to work after a period in the water. Old age also does them no good.