Two Liveaboards Capsize and Sink in April

On April 25, the Carlton Queen, a 120-foot Egyptian liveaboard originally built in 2002, then refitted and enlarged two decades later, capsized and sank near Sha'ab Abu Nuhas, a reef well known for its numerous diveable wrecks in the northern Red Sea. The vessel had a noticeable list when it left port and capsized in the open ocean not long after it turned beam toward the sea, despite the weather being calmer than usual.

The 15 British passengers, several other Europeans, and the crew were evacuated safely to another liveaboard, VIP Shrouq, but most of their possessions remained on the sinking vessel. Some passengers who were below decks at the time sustained minor abrasions and trauma when they climbed through the boat to escape. (Source: HEPCA and Carlton Fleet)

In the early hours of April 30, at the remote Tubbataha Reef in the Philippines, the liveaboard MY. Dream Keeper, with 32 people on board, capsized and sank. Surviving passengers and crew were picked-up by MY. Discovery Palawan, which was nearby. Four people are still missing and thought to be trapped inside the sunken vessel. The yacht carried 15 crew, 5 dive guides, and 12 Chinese passengers. Those still missing were reported to be the liveaboard's owner, one female divemaster, and two guests. The nearest land is the island of Palawan, 80 nautical miles west of Tubbataha.

The multi-role response vessel BRP Melchora Aquino was dispatched to the scene at 6:50. Several dive boats, including Atlantis Azores, Stella Maris, Solitude One, Resolute, Philippine Siren, and Palau Sport, searched the area for other possible survivors. Those rescued were taken by a coastguard patrol vessel to Palawan for medical evaluation. The boat had embarked in Cebu. (Sources: AFP/rc, Manila Bulletin, Straits Times)