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Tighter regulations for Red Sea boats - and guests
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New rules brought in by the Red Sea Association for Diving and Watersports have set stricter requirements for liveaboard and day diving charter boats, and the divers who holiday aboard them.
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The rules cover ratios of dive guides to diving guests, surface cover, guide qualifications, guest experience and certification, and equipping of guides and guests alike.
They come in the wake of a number of diving incidents, culminating in a serious emergency last summer off the Brother Islands. A group of 12 divers, including a dive guide, were lost and drifted 26 miles during 13 hours in the sea.
They were picked up after dark when a boat spotted their waved torches. Two of the hypothermic divers would probably not have survived the whole night at sea.
Under the new rules, all Red Sea liveaboard dive charter boats need to provide: - One guide for every eight guests;
- One guide for surface support and supervision, which effectively means that all dives away from the main vessel require continuous small-boat cover;
- All guides possessing a valid Red Sea Association professional ID card;
- All guides carrying an SMB, reflective mirror, strobe and torch. Guests on such holidays will need to:
- Show evidence of at least 50 logged dives;
- Each carry an SMB and, within buddy pairs, possess at least one torch, even on morning dives;
- Possess medical certification of fitness to dive, issued less than one year before the start of the trip;
- Possess diving accident insurance from a 'reputable company'.
Meanwhile all day-diving boats need to provide: - One guide for every ten divers, where the divers have at least 25 loggeddives;
- One guide for every six divers, where divers have fewer than 25 loggeddives;
- All guides possessing a valid Red Sea Association professional ID card.
Day-diving guests will need to: - Present diving logbook and agency certification;
- Possess medical certification and accident insurance, as above.
Before the introduction of the new rules, charters in designated marine park areas only were subject to 'clearly spelled out regulations', says the Red Sea Association. The 1:8 guide-to-guest ratio was specified, along with the requirement that guests had logged at least 50 dives.
The association would welcome comments on the new regulations from dive charter guests or boat operators. Divers can also contact the organisation if they see any practice they think breaks the rules.
Red Sea Association for Diving and Watersports - association@redseaexperience.com
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