Al Salam News

Efthimios Mitropoulos, secretary-general of the International Maritime Organization, recently became the first holder of a new award for significant contribution to the ferry industry, the Interferry Person of Distinction. Interferry named Mitropoulos for his "global leadership in highlighting the importance of passenger ship safety". Mitropoulous joined the IMO Secretariat in 1979 and was appointed to the top post in 2004. The presentation was made by Interferry CEO Len Roueche at IMO headquarters in London on July 31. Mitropoulos was cited as a driving force in the joint IMO/Interferry initiative to improve domestic ferry safety in developing nations.

According to reports, Egyptian officials say they have recovered the data recorder for the ferry that sank in the Red Sea on 3 February, killing about 1,000 people. Transport minister said the recorder for the al-Salam 98 would be sent to the UK for analysis, which would take about a week. The recorder stores information about the vessel's location, direction of travel and weather conditions. It could explain why the ship sank as it crossed to Egypt from Saudi Arabia. The 35-year-old ferry was sailing in bad weather when it ran into trouble after a fire broke out below decks overnight in the early hours of 3 February. Only 388 out of more than 1,400 people on board survived the disaster. The wreckage was found in 800m (2,600 ft) of water, 90km (56 miles) from Egypt's port of Safaga.

With respect to the ongoing investigation into the al-Salam Boccaccio 98 ferry disaster in the Red Sea on 3 February 2006, IMO wishes to clarify the following. Soon after the accident, IMO responded to a request for assistance in the investigation of the casualty from both the Governments of Egypt and Panama, by making available two independent consultants to provide technical advice to the casualty investigation board established jointly by the two Governments. M. Jean-Charles Leclair, of France, was appointed to provide advice on procedures for casualty investigation under SOLAS regulation I/21 (Casualties) and IMO Resolutions A.849(20) and A.884(21) (respectively the Code for the Investigation of Marine Casualties and Incidents and amendments thereto)…

On his return from a one-day trip to Cairo in the aftermath of the tragic loss of the ferry al-Salam Boccaccio 98, IMO Secretary General Efthimios E. Mitropoulos added that this assistance was intended to ensure that the outcome of the investigation would not only identify, beyond any doubt, what caused the accident, but would also identify what lessons, if any, might be learnt so that, through the IMO system, prompt and expeditious action was taken to prevent similar accidents happening in the future. During the visit, Mitropoulos met, inter alia, with the Prime Minister of Egypt, Dr. Ahmed Nazif, and the Egyptian Transport Minister, Mr.

The European Maritime Safety Agency has questioned Rina, the Italian shipping organization that certified the Egyptian ferry that sank with the loss of almost 1,000 lives. The European maritime safety agency has requested details of the audits Rina carried when it certified the 36-year-old vessel. The Al-Salam Boccaccio had undergone several conversions to boost its capacity to 1,400 passengers and was sailing under a Panamanian flag. It sank when a fire broke out shortly after setting sail from Duba, in Saudi Arabia. The European Commission has been concerned about the oversight of shipping classification societies. According to news.ft.com, Rina inspected the seaworthiness of the Red Sea ferry twice last year. The vessel had passed safety tests a day before it set sail.

Infrared imagery taken from a U.S. Navy P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft, assisting in search and rescue operations for survivors of the Egyptian ferry Al Salam Boccaccio 98 in the Red Sea. By Photographer’s Mate 1st Class Curt Cooper, Commander, U.S. A U.S. Navy P-3 Orion from Patrol Squadron (VP) 47 Golden Swordsmen assisted search and rescue operations for survivors of the sunken Egyptian ferry Al Salam Boccaccio 98 in the Red Sea, Feb. The ferry, carrying an estimated 1,400 passengers, sank about 50 miles off the coast of Egypt at approximately 2 a.m., Feb. 3. The VP-47 crew flew for almost 15 hours to assist Egyptian authorities in the search efforts.

IMO Secretary General Efthimios E. Mitropoulos has spoken of his shock at the devastating news of the loss of the ferry al-Salam Boccaccio 98, on passage between Saudi Arabia and Egypt, with heavy loss of life in bad weather conditions. He added, "It is inappropriate at this stage to speculate on what may have been the cause of the sinking and we must wait until we receive reliable information from the Egyptian and Panamanian authorities. Since learning of the incident, Mr Mitropoulos has been in constant contact with Eng. Mohamed Mansour, the Minister of Transport and Admiral M. Mahmoud Shereen, Head of the Maritime Transport Sector in the Ministry of Transport, both of Egypt, with Mr.

According to reports, an Egyptian passenger ferry carrying around 1,300 people, mostly Egyptian workers returning from Saudi Arabia, has sunk in the Red Sea. Coast Guard vessels have pulled dozens of bodies from the water and rescued 30 survivors, officials said. The 35-year-old ship, Al Salam 98, which was also carrying around 220 vehicles, went down 40 miles off the Egyptian port of Hurghada as most of the passengers were sleeping, officials said. The cause was not immediately known, but there were high winds and a sandstorm overnight on Saudi Arabia's west coast, from which the ship departed on Thursday evening. Four rescue ships have reached the scene.