SAFAGA — 2006 · Major Tragedy
Al-Salam Boccaccio 98 Ferry Disaster
On the evening of 2 February 2006, a few hours after the al-Salam Boccaccio 98 ferry left Duba in Saudi Arabia for Safaga in Egypt, fire broke out on its car deck. Water used to fight the fire could not drain, and together with bad weather it caused the ship to list; the ferry sank in the Red Sea in the early hours of 3 February. About 1,400 people were on board, mostly Egyptian workers and pilgrims, and more than 1,000 died. An Egyptian court acquitted the company's owner and managers in 2008; after the ruling was overturned, the owner was sentenced in absentia to seven years in March 2009.
- Date
- 2006
- Place
- Red Sea, Egypt, Safaga, EG
- Category
- Major Tragedy
- Case Status
- Closed
- Coordinates
- 26.8000, 34.5000 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 2 February 2006The ferry left Duba for Safaga; fire broke out on the car deck.
- 3 February 2006The ferry sank in the Red Sea; more than 1,000 died.
- July 2008An Egyptian court acquitted defendants including the owner.
- March 2009On appeal the owner was sentenced in absentia to seven years.
Sources
- France 24 — Ferry owner let off over deadly 2006 accident france24.com ↗
- NBC News — Ferry owner in Egypt disaster gets prison nbcnews.com ↗
- Wikipedia — MS al-Salam Boccaccio 98 en.wikipedia.org ↗
- France 24
- NBC News
- Wikipedia
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.