al-QUSEIR, Egypt (8 August 2004) -- FIVE Britons who went missing during a diving expedition in Egypt were found safe and well last night, 11 hours after being swept away by strong currents in the Red Sea. The five were among a group of 12 divers, including five Portuguese and two Belgians, rescued by Egyptian naval boats after being spotted by a helicopter 35 miles from the dive site. A tourism ministry spokes-woman said that military helicopters which joined the rescue mission had succeeded in finding all of them alive and in good health. Amr Ali, an official with the Red Sea Diving Union, said: "They were found floating in the water and all of them were alive." He added that the divers – none of whom is believed to be Scottish – were swept westwards by the currents. They were being taken to the Red Sea coastal town of Safaga, 67 miles north of al Quseir. The group had been diving near the small island of El-Akhawein, an area popular with European divers. | | It is thought they had set off from the coastal resort of Marsa Alam on a week-long diving cruise yesterday. Jim Watson, coaching and instructor training scheme manager with the British Sub-Aqua Club, said it was likely the divers had got "caught in a current and surfaced away from the boat, which would leave them drifting waiting to be rescued". He added that Europeans were fond of the area, which is expanding as a favourite with divers, because the coral reefs and marine life were relatively undisturbed compared with those in southern Europe. Mr Watson said: "Some of the offshore reefs there do have difficult conditions for divers caused by strong breezes at different times of the day affecting the water." Despite the drama, the rescued divers have decided to continue their holiday. SOURCE - The Herald |
