For one dive liveaboard to catch fire might be described as unfortunate – for two from the same fleet to blaze in the space of little over a month seems doubly so.
“Hours ago a fire broke out on the safari yacht Golden Dolphin II, while it was docked for maintenance,” stated Egyptian Red Sea operator Golden Dolphin Safari World yesterday (28 February) in a joint announcement with the Chamber of Diving & Water Sports (CDWS). The incident occurred in Hurghada.
“The fire started in the upper part of the yacht, and thankfully the incident caused no injuries because there were no divers or guests on board at the time.”
Emergency services had brought the fire under control with the help of the boat’s crew, stated the operator, adding that the CDWS was continuing to monitor the situation closely in co-ordination with stakeholders. “We are relieved and grateful for everyone’s safety,” the statement concluded.
Unconfirmed reports suggested that the blaze might have been caused by an electrical short circuit. The extent of the damage caused is unknown.
The Golden Dolphin fleet
The 38m Golden Dolphin II, which had been one of the three remaining vessels in the fleet after Golden Dolphin III caught fire in January, had been operating in the Red Sea for almost exactly 20 years.
Built to accommodate 20 divers in 10 cabins, the boat had been refurbished and extended last year. It was due to start its next week-long safari on 5 March.
The earlier fire on the 40m Golden Dolphin III had also occurred in Hurghada, where the vessel was moored in the early hours of 21 January with no guests onboard, as reported on Divernet.
The blaze had spread rapidly, leaving the vessel a total loss. The CDWS announced at the time that it had initiated an official investigation to determine the circumstances and causes of the incident.
That now leaves operational only the 36m Golden Dolphin I and the 46m Golden Dolphin IV, the newest boat in the Golden Dolphin Safari World liveaboard fleet, which was set up in 1998 and has proved popular especially with German divers.
