Per Reuters- http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11157659/
SAFAGA, Egypt - Survivors of the Red Sea ferry disaster said on Saturday the Egyptian captain had fled his burning ship by lifeboat and abandoned them to their fate.....
From Al Salam Maritime...
Cairo, 4 February 2006 – 16,50 local time
Statement of Clarification
El Salam Maritime Transport Co, in reference to what reported by various International Media Centers would like to clarify the following:
The Captain and the large majority of the crew members including the Officers and Engineers
are until this moment missing either dead or alive. None of the lifeboats have been used to evacuate passengers or crew members since the vessel was listed and capsized. Only liferafts have been used for the passenger evacuation.
Until this moment only 17 crew members, out of 96, has been officially reported alive.
All the above are ratings and one 2 nd Officer
El Salam maritime Transport Co,
El Salam Maritime Transport Co. presents her condolences for all the families who lost their relatives and loved ones in the accident of M/V Alsalam Boccaccio 98.
Concerning the vessels accident, the company would like to clarify the following:
M/V Alsalam Boccaccio 98 was complying with all the international safety regulations and treaties and certified to make international voyages.
M/V Alsalam Boccaccio 98 had been performing several time charters contracts since 2001 and had participated at the G8 Summit held in Genoa Italy chosen among 11 other ships from all over the world.
On 2002 the vessel performed tourist voyages between Alexandria port Egypt and Antalya ( Turkey ) Rhodes ( Greece ) in addition to her voyages between Laggolet ( Tunisia ) and Marseille (France)
2005 the vessel had been chosen as one of the ships to carry the Egyptian pilgrimas during the haj season(December2005/January 2006) from Egypt to Suadi Arabia and she passed successfully all the intensive inspections carried out from the Egyptian Authority for maritime safety and all port state control inspections with very satisfactory reports officially recorded in the official log books.
Vessels'' crew members: all crew members are highly trained in accordance to the latest techniques of the STCW-95 Treaty (Standard of training certification and watch keeping) and all of the crew was certified with the required certificates according to the international regulations.
Master: Captain Sayed Omar Graduated from the Egyptian naval academy in 1965 had been certified as a master since 1972 and along 28 years of service in different international maritime companies on different types of vessels .
He joined El Salam Maritime Transport Co. in 1998 until the current accident.
We would like to clarify that all vessels operating world wide should comply with all the international conventions for the safety of life at sea (SOLAS) Issued in 1974 and its amendments, and all members of the United Nations are members of this treaty.
According to article number 33 from the Egyptian Maritime Ministry which states that any vessel sailing from Egyptian ports should comply with all conditions and inspections regardless of its flag.
El Salam Company States that the vessel is insured with one of the leading insurance companies in The UK. This leading insurance firm requires very high standards of quality and safety and it performs a pre – entry surveys through its technical staff to ensure the vessel's compatibility before accepting the coverage .
As for the accident complications , it is quite early to determine the actual causes as all the authorities and company efforts now are mainly concerned with the rescue operations as first Priority. The company is assuring to all that it will pay all the compensation immediately after finalizing the procedures.
Last , Al Salam appreciates and thanks all the parties participated and still participating in the search and rescue operations .
