Being trapped in complete darkness is honestly one of my worst fears. I once did a blackout escape room, and I freaked out after about 10 minutes. But three survivors on a tourist boat that sank in the Red Sea had to endure darkness for a lot longer than that. They survived for 35 hours on a sunken ship, unsure if they would even be rescued.
My poor heart couldn't take it. Back in November, the Sea Story tourist boat sank after leaving Mars Alam, Egypt. It was headed to Hurghada Marina, but it never reached its destination. A huge wave sank the seacraft to the depths, and it took three still-living people along with it. The tragedy killed up to 11 people of the 31 on board at the time. Several of these people have never been found.
Now, survivors are speaking out about the sinking. Several have placed the blame of the sinking on "crew error" and "safety failings" rather than choppy water. Dive Pro Liveaboard, the tour operator, is at the center of this growing criticism. Three of the survivors almost died after being trapped on the tourist boat.
OLucianna Galetta said she and her partner, Christophe Lemmens, became trapped on the sinking vessel. They found an air pocket in the engine room, which was on the half of the ship still sticking out of the water. The rest had sunk below the water. Trapped by the water, the couple and dive instructor, Youssef al-Faramawy were forced to wait for potential rescue.
Tourist Boat Sinks
They waited for 35 hours. Although they eventually heard a rescue helicopter outside the tourist boat, they still had to wait 27 more hours.
"We had no communication with the outside, nothing. No one tried to see if there was someone alive in there," Galetta said via People. "I was so ready to die. We didn't think that someone would come."
I mean if I was stuck in the dark for 35 hours. I would be ready to die too. Fortunately, al-Faramawy's uncle, Khattab al-Faramawi, eventually rescued the three of them. The couple didn't understand why Egyptian search and rescue didn't save them.
She said, "We waited 35 hours. I don't understand how there are no divers on the Egyptian military boats."
"We are lucky to be alive," she continued. "But there are so many people who didn't come back from this and I want their families to be able to grieve."
