UPDATE: One of the three divers who perished in the fire onboard Hurricane has been named as 58-year-old Christina Quinn. She had recently taken up the role of CEO of St Luke's Hospice Plymouth, and in a statement released by the hospice, a spokesperson for her family said: “It is with great sadness that we confirm the tragic death of Christina Quinn in Egypt. She was a sister, daughter, wife, aunty, friend, and rock to many. She will be missed beyond words.”
UPDATE: Tragically the three missing divers have been declared dead – it is thought the trio opted not to do the morning dive and so were still in their cabins when the fire broke out, whereas the other divers were all at the dive briefing and thus better placed to safely evacuate the vessel.
Three British divers are reported to be missing following a fierce fire on board the multi-award-winning liveaboard Hurricane in the southern Egyptian Red Sea this morning (11 June).
The 36-metre, steel-hulled vessel, a part of the well-known Tornado Marine Fleet, was coming to the end of its week-long safari and was due to make its final dive stop at Elphinstone, off Marsa Alam, when the fire – suspected to have been caused by an electrical fault in the engine-room – broke out.
Twelve other British divers were safely evacuated from Hurricane, along with the ten crew members and two dive guides, with video footage showing people scrambling off the side of the boat into waiting RIBs. Initial reports suggested everyone was accounted for, but later it was confirmed that three people were still missing.
The Red Sea Governate and public prosecution office have begun an investigation into the fire onboard Hurricane, and we will keep you updated on the situation regarding the three missing divers.
The Egyptian dive and tourist industry is not having a good few weeks. First there was the capsize of the Carlton Queen liveaboard, then dayboat Sea Flower ran aground off the Sinai Peninsula, and then just a few days ago, there was the horrific shark attack on a swimmer in Hurghada.
