The family of a West Country couple, who are still missing after a tourist yacht sank in the Red Sea off Egypt, have expressed their “desperate” need for news. Jenny Cawson, 36, and her husband Tariq Sinada, 49, from Ashburton, Devon, are feared to be among the seven people still unaccounted for following the capsizing and sinking of the tourist boat Sea Story south of the coastal town of Marsa Alam in Egypt early on Monday.
The couple had been enjoying a reef safari holiday off the coast of Egypt when the four-deck Sea Story, carrying 44 people including 13 crew and 31 passengers, was hit by a massive wave. Both Ms Cawson, an employee of the Devon Wildlife Trust, and Mr Sinada, an IT professional, are experienced scuba divers and are now feared drowned after Egyptian authorities announced they are among the seven passengers from the boat yet to be recovered.
The family of Ms Cawson and Mr Sinada have voiced their frustration at the lack of solid news. Speaking to the BBC, Ms Cawson’s father Michael Williams said the Foreign Office has maintained regular contact with them but there is still no news about Jenny and Tariq.
He stated: “Tariq’s mother messaged us that the Sea Story sank in the Red Sea and asked me if I knew the name of the boat. We were just in disbelief, it’s one of those moments when the world stops.”
Pamela Cawson, the mother of Ms Cawson, realised the gravity of the situation when she recognised the name of the boat reported in the news, as the couple had contacted them upon reaching the Red Sea. She said: “Your heart sinks. You ask yourself, have I misread the news? Let’s look again.”, reports Devon Live.
The family also sought help from local contacts in Egypt to find their relatives.
Ms Cawson’s mother commented: “One of the local sources was kind enough to try and look for them in local hospitals. Everything Jenny and her husband do is highly considered. They do proper research before travelling anywhere. They are not the type of people who take anything at face value.”
Furthermore, there has been widespread conjecture about what caused the boat to sink, questioning whether it was solely due to bad weather or if human error played a role. Nevertheless, the governor of the Egyptian Red Sea has excluded technical failure as the cause, confirming that the vessel had passed all necessary inspections and was deemed sea-worthy.
In the meantime, the Egyptian navy is spearheading the search and rescue mission. Although there has been no formal announcement concluding the operation, it is believed to persist. Survivors have been kept from the media spotlight, although local officials assert they are well.
Michael, Jenny’s father, expressed his disbelief to the BBC regarding the lack of influence exerted by the UK Foreign Office in Egypt: “We’re surprised that our Foreign Office can’t pressure anybody in Egypt.”
A spokesperson for Tata Consultancy Services, the employer of Mr Sinada, expressed their concern in a statement: “The incident that took place in the Red Sea on Monday is tragic and our thoughts are with Tariq’s family and all those that have been impacted. We hope for his safe return, along with all other passengers.”
Holidaymakers aboard the luxury yacht included citizens from the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Poland, Belgium, Switzerland, Finland, China, Slovakia, Spain, and Ireland. Following an Egyptian Navy-led search and rescue mission, 33 individuals were rescued, and four bodies have been found; their identities remain unconfirmed.
The governor of the Red Sea region, Amr Hanafi, had announced earlier that the vessel run by Dive Pro Liveaboard had passed its last safety checkup in March without any mechanical issues raised. He attributed the tragedy to a large wave striking the boat.
The Egyptian Meteorological Authority had forecast strong waves on the Red Sea and advised against marine activities for Sunday and Monday. A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We are providing consular support to a number of British nationals and their families following an incident in Egypt and are in contact with the local authorities.”
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