Unknown Sea Story lob sinks

[Umuntu]

Most of us have never had to use a go bag. And most of us have never had to abandon a vessel in the middle of the night. But I venture that most of us would take comfort knowing that if we had set up a go bag and eventually had to use it, that we would not have to wait for consular assistance to get a travel document.

The UK couple were back home within days …

By all means have whatever you want in your Go bag, but your primary focus must be to be able to survive the sea and get back to land alive. Everything else is a secondary convenience.

I would suggest a neoprene jacket, a manually inflatable life jacket, essential medication, water in a camelbak bladder (it has a nipple to drink), candy bars/chocolate, swim googles, a snorkel as essentials in a Go bag at sea. If you have one a hand held VHF marine radio. Passport, local cash and credit card too, but they are not essentials to survive.

 

[Kendall Raine]

I can’t help but think that you are overly focused on saving minor possessions, all easily replaced and covered by insurance, rather than saving your life.

Every country’s embassy and consulate are routinely dealing with citizens who have lost their passports, it’s a minor inconvenience to lose it.

Exactly the reason to have the go bag in the first place-so you won't be tempted to return to your cabin, or spend time searching, for "minor possessions" since you have them with you when you blow out of your cabin. All the survivor reports I've read from the dozen or so Red Sea LoB sinkings in the last few years have cited the industrial strength hassle of dealing with Egyptian authorities because passports, IDs, money, credit cards, phones sank with the vessel. Without those things you're at the mercy of a bureaucracy who's first priority is to assign blame/cover their own butts, vessel owners who're seeking to avoid blame/cover their own butts and consular staff who may be a long way away dealing with whatever the crisis of the day might be; all of whom are likely concerned with things other than your welfare/comfort and the welfare of loved ones who don't know if you've survived the incident.

My waterproof go bag has all @Dan 's things plus a couple of Cliff Bars and a t shirt (also a Sat phone if in places like Halmahara or Banda Sea). Like PLBs/DSMBs/GPS all this stuff is overkill/unnecessary/silly, until it isn't.

 

[Umuntu]

All the survivor reports I've read from the dozen or so Red Sea LoB sinkings in the last few years have cited the industrial strength hassle of dealing with Egyptian authorities because passports, IDs, money, credit cards, phones sank with the vessel.

The important thing is they were alive and back on land. I’m happy to deal with all the bureaucracy that comes my way if I’m alive and back on land.

 

[BoltSnap]

Losing your passport in Egypt will add at least a week to your ability to return home. Fine if you want to spend another week in Cairo, having lost all your possessions. Otherwise, it's a major hassle.

I once called the U.S. embassy in Cairo on a Friday night, on behalf of a dive buddy who thought he had lost his passport the day before we were scheduled to board our liveaboard in Hurghada. The guy who picked up the phone said to call back on Tuesday, because Monday was a holiday. I told him it was an emergency, because without the passport he wouldn't be able to travel to Hurghada to go join the liveaboard that afternoon, and he calmly said to call back on Tuesday, because Monday was a holiday.

BTW, later that evening my buddy and I mentally retraced our steps, and figured out that my buddy must have dropped his passport at the Saqqara pyramids earlier that day. It turned out that he had dropped his passport while taking this picture.

View attachment 872774

The next morning at the crack of dawn, my buddy went back to the Saqqara pyramids and found the passport right where he had dropped it.

View attachment 872775

Now, that's f'ing lucky as heck.

 

[Dan]

The only two things I would recommend would be thermal protection and a life jacket. Particularly in heavy seas, and it’s exhausting to just stay afloat.

Life jacket is already in the cabin. That’s a given. My first thing to do when I get into my cabin for the first time is to check where the life jacket is & put it in my mind how to reach it in the dark. I may reposition it to be under the bed if accessible or hang it on the exit door hanger with my fanny drybag if possible.

 

[iointerrupt]

You'll only hear Go Bag success stories, because the people that went back for it and died don't have much to report.

If the ship is going down, the last thing on my mind is trying to optimize for the "afterward", and not the rather important "now".

 

[scubadada]

I sleep in a pair of shorts and a T-shirt and have my go bag by the door. That's probably the best I can do to make a quick escape. Of course, I know my primary exit and the emergency exit.

 

[rmorgan]

I am speechless... 7 days after the accident and there are no survivors accounts, no known accident location, nothing... Egyptians are masters! I mean I am no news whore but wouldn't we like to know what actually has happened just to know what can happen on our next LOB?

The important thing is they were alive and back on land. I’m happy to deal with all the bureaucracy that comes my way if I’m alive and back on land.

Of course being alive is the first and most important thing. But one problem with lost passports? This article seems to confirm what has been fairly clear--that survivors are still in Egypt and are being prevented from communicating their stories. "But the survivors have been kept away from the press. The local authorities say they are in good condition . . . There are now concerns the incident could have serious repercussions on the tourism industry in the area." Red Sea sinking: UK family 'desperate' as couple remain missing

 

[Kendall Raine]

You'll only hear Go Bag success stories, because the people that went back for it and died don't have much to report.

If the ship is going down, the last thing on my mind is trying to optimize for the "afterward", and not the rather important "now".

Of course. Agreed. See post #213. That's why it's called a "go bag" not a "go back get bag"

 

[iain/hsm]

Consider this wasn't a dive boat in isolation stranded on its side on some remote reef. It was a recreational scuba tourist taxi service surrounded by other so called dive capable vessels all containing numerous other guest scuba divers and qualified PADi dive professional guides and instructors.

The sinking occurred at 5.30 am, the sun came up later in the morning and those surrounding recreational LOB.s had a great viewing platform of the vessel on its side while eating morning breakfast.

Meanwhile those still alive on the Sea Story trapped below deck with water slopping around
are thinking how long before someone anyone maybe even those in the other surrounding boats dons a mask and cylinder and nips across to take a peek inside. Heck even if its to grab the Rolex cash and watches waiting while 30 hours rolls on faster than a long haul flight with plenty to do and doubtless time to think about living the dream of becoming a PADI~ dive master instructor.

But now its almost 30 hours later when the marine body recovery party and the Egyptian navy rock up with Amr Hanafi the Red Sea governor to talk to the original known survivors.

Now imagine the shock of finding folk still alive inside the wreck after 30 hours. This will take some explaining maybe should have waited a few more hours for those remaining inside to take a chance of a free swim out or maybe they should have waited 40 hours and let the hyperthermia kick in.

Hopeless Helpless Hapless and sure folk still want to go on a Red Sea diving holiday but only the careless and the ignorant. The strong are saying nothing.