Near Miss Grounding
| Heading into Danger |
- Straits of Tiran. Fine and clear.
- Report No. 93031. |
I was enjoying a diving holiday, scuba diving from a small boat amongst the reefs at the entrance to the Gulf of Aqaba. Our boat was proceeding in a North Easterly direction close to the Woodhouse Reef towards a diving site at Jackson Reef. I noticed a merchant ship of about 8000 tonnes heading towards us on a course of about 3300 at full speed. It appeared to me that he was heading straight for the Woodhouse Reef and I pointed this out to the skipper of our boat.
We tried to call the ship on VHF Channel 16 but received no reply. We then decided to steam up to the bows of the ship and we shouted up to the bridge to warn them to turn back. Fortunately, our efforts were successful, and, when less than a mile from running aground, the ship turned hard round to starboard and returned from whence it had come.
About an hour later the ship, (a real rust bucket) was observed entering the Tiran Strait by the recommended route via Enterprise Passage. Grafton passage is not recommended and there are no lights or beacons on the reefs.
I consider that we helped to avert a major accident and pollution disaster to some of the most beautiful underwater areas of the world. The other divers who were in the boat with me could not understand how such an incident could happen, and looked to me to supply an answer. How can one explain such gross incompetence and the fact that the standards of safety at sea have become an international disgrace.