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The Al-Salam Boccaccio 98 (Arabic : Salam سلام means "peace") was an Egyptian ROPAX (passenger/roll on-roll off) ferry, operated by El Salam Maritime Transport, that sank on 2 February 2006 in the Red Sea en route from Duba, Saudi Arabia, to Safaga in southern Egypt. Its last known position was 100 km (62 miles) from Duba, when it lost contact with the shore at about 22:00 EET (20:00 UTC).

The ship was carrying 1,310 passengers and 105 crew members, according to an Egyptian embassy spokesman in London (however, the Egyptian presidential spokesman mentioned 98 crew, while the Transport Minister said 104). The majority are thought to have been Egyptians working in Saudi Arabia, but also included pilgrims returning from the Hajj in Mecca. The ship was also carrying about 220 vehicles.

No SOS had been heard from the ship and poor weather conditions hampered the search and rescue operation. It is believed that around 343 survivors have been rescued.

Ship history

The vessel was built by the Italian company Italcantieri in 1970 with IMO number 6921282 and named the Boccaccio at Castellammare di Stabia, Italy. It was originally intended for Italian domestic service. Its dimensions included 130.99 m length overall with 23.60 m beam and 5.57 m draught. The main engines are rated at 16,560 kW for a maximum speed of 19 knots. The vessel had an original capacity of 200 automobiles and 500 passengers. There were five sister ships constructed.

The vessel was rebuilt in 1991 by INMA at La Spezia, maintaining the same outer dimensions albeit with a higher superstructure, changing the draught to 5.90 m. At the same time its automobile capacity was increased to 320 and the passenger capacity was increased to 1300. The most recent gross registered tonnage was 11,799.

The Boccaccio was purchased in 1999 by El Salam Maritime Transport, headquartered in Cairo, the largest private shipping company in Egypt and the Middle East, and renamed Al-Salam Boccaccio 98; the registered owner is Pacific Sunlight Marine Inc. of Panama. She is also referred to as Salam 98.

The sinking

The Red Sea is known for its strong winds and tricky local currents. The region had been experiencing high winds and dust storms for several days at the time of the sinking. These winds may have contributed to the disaster and may complicate rescue efforts.

The closest maritime weather report for 3 February 0000 UTC was from MV Glasgow Maersk, call sign MZGK7. Reporting from 27.00 °N 34.40 °W, approximately 150 km north-north-west of the sinking, the container ship shows winds of 24.1 kt (13 ms) from 320 degrees, with a surface pressure of 1005 hPa. Sea temperature was 25 °C and a significant wave height of only 45 cm. Visibility was good (10 km), with 7/8ths cloud cover. There was also an active weather front overlying the area, clearly visible in METEOSAT imagery.

Search and rescue

At 23:58 on 2 February 2006 the air-sea rescue control room at RAF Kinloss in Scotland detected an automatic distress signal relayed by satellite from the ship's position. The alert was passed on via France to the Egyptian authorities.

As of 3 February 2006 some lifeboats and bodies were seen in the water. It is believed that there are still survivors. At least 314 survivors and around 185 dead bodies have been recovered. Reuters reported that "dozens" of bodies were floating in the Red Sea.

Rescue boats and helicopters are searching the area, including four Egyptian frigates. Britain diverted the warship HMS Bulwark which would have arrived in a day-and-a-half, but reports conflict as to whether or not the ship has been recalled. , Israeli sources report that an offer of search and rescue assistance from the Israeli Navy was declined. Egyptian authorities have, however, accepted a United States offer of a P-3 Orion maritime naval patrol aircraft after initially having said that the help was not needed.

Similar incidents

The sinking of Al-Salam Boccaccio 98 is being compared to that of the 1987 M/S Herald of Free Enterprise disaster, which killed 193 passengers and also other incidents.

In 1991 another Egyptian ferry Salem Express sunk off the coast of Egypt after colliding with a coral reef. 464 Egyptians lost their lives. The ship is now a landmark shipwreck for SCUBA divers along with the SS Thistlegorm.

In 1994, the M/S Estonia sank, claiming 852 lives.

On 26 September 2002 the M/S Joola, a Senegalese government-owned ferry, capsized off the coast of Gambia resulting in the deaths of at least 1,863 people.

On 17 October 2005, the Pride of Al Salam 95, a sister ship of the Al-Salam Boccaccio 98, also sank in the Red Sea, after being struck by the Cypriot-registered cargo ship Jebal Ali. In that accident, two people were killed and another 40 injured, some perhaps during a stampede to leave the sinking ship. After evacuating all the ferry passengers and crew, the Jebal Ali went astern and the Pride of Al Salam 95 sank in about 3½ minutes.

References

1. "Ferry carrying 1,300 sinks in Red Sea". 2006-02-03. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |org= ignored (help)
4. http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/sanluisobispo/news/world/13783093.htm
5. "Hoffnung auf Überlebende schwindet". 2006-02-04. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |org= ignored (help)
6. Overview Press Ltd, Ferries 2004 Southern Europe
7. "Egyptian passenger ship sinks in Red Sea; 20 confirmed dead; 100 survivors rescued". 2006-02-03. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |org= ignored (help)
8. http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/
9. http://en.wikipedia.org/Image:Gfs10.prp.012.tropio.gif
10. http://oiswww.eumetsat.org/~idds/images/out/SDDI-20060202-2100-BNW-08-IR_108-03-600.jpg
11. "Egyptian Ship Sinks At Sea". 2006-02-03. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |org= ignored (help)
12. "Ship with 1,400 sinks in Red Sea". 2006-02-03. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |org= ignored (help)
13. "Dozens of Bodies, Survivors in Red Sea". 2006-02-03. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |org= ignored (help)
14. "Many Dead as Egyptian Ferry Sinks". 2006-02-03. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |org= ignored (help)
15. "Egyptian cruise ship sinks in Red Sea". 2006-02-03. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |org= ignored (help)
16. "Dozens of Bodies, Survivors in Red Sea". 2006-02-03. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |org= ignored (help)

External links

• Template:Sv iconBoccaccio (1971) vessel information
• "Egyptian ferry sinks in Red Sea " at BBC News
• "Hunt for survivors as crowded Egyptian ferry sinks" at Times Online
• "Passenger ferry sinks in Red Sea" at CNN
• al-Salam homepage
• Simplon Postcards contains photos of sister ship that sank in 2005

• Current events
• Shipwrecks
• 2006 disasters
• Ships of Egypt
• Disasters in Egypt
• Ferries