Unknown Sea Story lob sinks

[scubadada]

Is there any reliable way for prospective customers to determine whether a particular boat was built to SOLAS standards? Like is there a reliable registry or inspection list or something which isn't subject to bribery? I don't know much about naval architecture.

IMO numbers are easy to look up. These are the only 2 I know, there may be others

 

[Dan]

I am amazed by the variety of different stories. The boat sank either at 2am or 6am or in between, either immediately, in 10 minutes, or hours, after being hit by a wave, running aground or listing side to side. It may have been boat construction, operator error, weather, navigation equipment or some combination. Rescue was done by the military or by private individuals, and done either very well or very poorly.

We can conclude a UFO probably didn't land and abduct the missing tourists. Any other scenario still seems plausible.

Well, that’s why those AI geniuses invented apps like ChatGPT to filter out nonsense, false reporting, etc.

From ChatGPT:
“The Sea Story yacht tragedy continues to unfold as investigations and rescue operations progress. Key details about the incident include the following:

1. Incident Summary:
The yacht capsized on November 25, 2024, near the Sataya Reef in the Red Sea, reportedly due to high waves. It sank in under seven minutes with 44 people onboard: 31 tourists and 13 crew members. Survivors described the vessel being hit by a powerful wave during rough weather conditions, despite prior warnings about dangerous sea conditions .

2. Rescue and Recovery Efforts:
So far, 31 people have been rescued alive, including 3 more found in recent days (two Belgians and one Egyptian). Six bodies have been recovered, leaving seven individuals, including foreign tourists, still unaccounted for .

3. Passengers and Crew:
The group onboard included a mix of nationalities, with passengers from countries such as the UK, Belgium, Spain, China, and Norway. The crew, all Egyptian, were handling the vessel when it capsized .

4. Weather and Safety Measures:
Reports confirm that the Egyptian Meteorological Authority had issued warnings about high waves in the area. Although the yacht had passed its safety inspection earlier this year, questions are being raised about why it set sail despite the adverse forecast .

5. Investigation:
Authorities are reviewing the actions taken by the captain and crew, as well as the compliance of the yacht with maritime safety protocols. The investigation aims to determine if human error contributed to the disaster .

Search efforts remain active, with naval and aviation teams working to locate the remaining missing individuals. If more details emerge, I can provide further updates. Let me know if you’d like to explore any specific aspect of this tragedy.”

 

[Dan]

I asked ChatGPT about what happened to the captain. This is what it says:

“The captain of the Sea Story, which sank in the Red Sea, is reportedly among the missing individuals. Rescue efforts have confirmed that five people were rescued, and four bodies have been recovered, while others, including the captain, remain unaccounted for. Investigations into the cause of the accident and the status of all those aboard are ongoing .”

 

[ijdod]

Well, that’s why those AI geniuses invented apps like ChatGPT to filter out nonsense, false reporting, etc.

Unfortunately, that's an overly simplified and naively optimistic take on what they do. Use it at your own risk. And please don't use it as a 'source' for any information.

Bluntly put, it's garbage in, garbage out. It has no real way to telling what's true and what's not.

 

[Dan]

Unfortunately, that's an overly simplified and naively optimistic take on what they do. Use it at your own risk. And please don't use it as a 'source' for any information.

Bluntly put, it's garbage in, garbage out. It has no real way to telling what's true and what's not.

At least it relays what’s available news out in the public, not someone’s speculation.

Can you specifically point out what false information (“garage in”, as you put it) from ChatGPT that I have posted here?

 

[Jai Bar]

Firstly, the boat didn’t seem to be moored, according to Michael Miles, the 70yo survivor. He said:
“that captain of the boat was quite young and didn’t seem very experienced. He was not taking the waves in the correct way and before especially not when it got to the big waves. I believe it was one of the biggest reasons for the boat to sink. If a boat isn’t positioned correctly in the waves it is not good.”

Unfortunately the young captain was amongst the 7 missing people. So, he wouldn’t be able to testify whether the boat was moored or cruising through the night.

Secondly, if the boat were moored, as tall & floaty (“pine wood” material as @John Bantin mentioned in his article), the boat would be aligned with the current & the bow would be facing the waves head on, rather than side way (beam on as some articles put it) and it would be in much better position to ride on the waves, don’t you think?

No, I don't think so. I have been in several dozens liveaboards in Egypt. They tie to the reef at multiple points, no swinging or anything like that, as it will smash them on the reef. Usually most of the year the wind is northern, so most boats will moor sheltered in the southern side of reef. If the wind shifts position high waves pick up and the boat needs to shift mooring position. If all crew sleeping, it can take time to react.

I generalized, of course, there are different areas where currents and wind can differ. Yet, most Egyptian liveaboards tie with several ropes to the reef itself and sometimes there is a sinker they can tie to as well. The usually won't be on a single anchor where the boat can shift to face the wind and waves, because proximity to reef this is dangerous.

 

[Dan]

No, I don't think so. I have been in several dozens liveaboards in Egypt. They tie to the reef at multiple points, no swinging or anything like that, as it will smash them on the reef. Usually most of the year the wind is northern, so most boats will moor sheltered in the southern side of reef. If the wind shifts position high waves pick up and the boat needs to shift mooring position. If all crew sleeping, it can take time to react.

I generalized, of course, there are different areas where currents and wind can differ. Yet, most Egyptian liveaboards tie with several ropes to the reef itself and sometimes there is a sinker they can tie to as well. The usually won't be on a single anchor where the boat can shift to face the wind and waves, because proximity to reef this is dangerous.

Have there been a similar incident like this before in Sataya Reef?

 

[Jai Bar]

Have there been a similar incident like this ⁰before in Sataya Reef?

Don't know specifically in Sataya, but Safari boats smashed on the reefs happened lots of times. Many of them damaged not necessarily sink, or sunk without any loss of life they may have not even reached the news/media. You just read about the ones with fatalities.

I have seen numerous times when the weather shifted during the night and the crew had to relocate mooring lines in a rush.

The Red Sea is treacherous, the reefs are not very well charted, many places there is barely room for maneuvering in rough seas, and even experienced captains that know the area very well have wrecked their ships: a good example was the Salem Express, sunk in 1991 after hitting the reef with several hundred deaths

 

[rmorgan]

So far, 31 people have been rescued alive, including 3 more found in recent days (two Belgians and one Egyptian). Six bodies have been recovered, leaving seven individuals, including foreign tourists, still unaccounted for .

I think it was four recovered, and five rescued, on the second (third?) day. Were two additional recoveries acknowledged?

 

[ijdod]

@Dan Some of the speculation is also based on news that's out there, but which ChatGPT didn't seem to have caught, or dismissed for reasons unknown. The issue isn't so much that it's necessarily wrong, the issue is its use under the explicit assumption it's right.