Egypt liveaboard crews call for grace period over regulatory enforcement

Egyptian liveaboard crews are asking for more time before new rules about crew qualifications take effect. These rules came after several liveaboard incidents, including a sinking that cost many lives. Currently, there is a critical shortage of engineers who have the required advanced licenses due to the lack of available training programs since 2023. This situation has led to trip cancellations and divers being forced to change their plans. The safety of liveaboard operations is now under greater scrutiny from both authorities and international agencies.