Red Sea: Is diving vacation in Egypt still safe?

The star reported on Saturday about a mysterious series of accidents in the Red Sea – several diving yachts that capsized or burned out and sank. Egypt, a favorite travel destination for Germans, has become a global hotspot for such incidents.

Another ship sank on Monday and 17 divers were missing in the evening. It is the second accident involving the same ship operator this year star had researched extensively. Experts explain the accidents by saying that many ships do not meet even the most rudimentary safety standards. In addition, controls are too negligent and corruption plays a role. You can hardly find independent quality seals. Anyone who books trips online through one of the major providers may not even find out who operates the ships.

Added to this is the security situation in Egypt. The Foreign Office currently rates it as “overall stable and calm”. However, it warns against “individual excursions and overland trips” to certain regions, including the coastal town of Sharm al-Sheikh, which is popular with divers worldwide.

The overall picture also includes: The German embassy in Cairo is so busy due to the Gaza conflict that German tourists cannot expect help so quickly. At least that’s what people who can assess it say. One consequence, among many: When a holidaymaker dies in the sea, relatives sometimes have problems for months getting official confirmation from the Egyptian authorities. Without this, if in doubt, you cannot close an account or cancel an apartment.