There have been recent incidents involving British nationals on diving boats/tours in the Red Sea, the FCDO has warned Brits.
The UK Foreign Office has issued a warning to British holidaymakers over a problem with liveaboards in Egypt. There have been recent incidents involving British nationals on diving boats/tours in the Red Sea, the FCDO has warned Brits.
Some of these have included fatalities. Safety standards of Red Sea resort diving operators and boats vary considerably. Some operators may not provide adequate safety and insurance standards.
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (an independent investigative unit within the Department for Transport) published guidance about liveaboard vessels on their website in February 2025. They recommend that prospective customers are advised only to book liveaboard dive holidays through reputable vendors who can provide assurance about the safety standards applicable to the dive boat.
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The FCDO said: “On arrival on board, customers should request that the crew provide a thorough safety briefing before departure.” You should observe safety standards on board and exercise caution and make bookings through your tour representative or reputable operator if possible.
You should also check the weather and stay alert to changes, not dive or snorkel without a dive buddy or guide and not dive below your insurance policy’s depth limit – doing so will invalidate your cover. It added: “Shark attacks are rare, but there have been attacks on tourists in the Red Sea region. Monitor any updates from local authorities or your tour operator.”
Over the period 2000-2005, 475 British tourists drowned on holiday. Almost a third of drownings abroad occur while victims are swimming. From the age of 15 the majority get into difficulty while swimming in the sea, or are swept away by strong currents and rip tides.
Almost 20% of the cases are adults between the ages of 20 and 40 years and occur while the victim took a voluntary risk taking part in water sports such as diving, snorkelling and kayaking.
