How Safe Are Liveaboards? February 12, 2010 by lukesheppard

It seems that there could be no better holiday spent than one with your scuba diving equipment, hours exploring the oceanic paradises below, and the rest of the time atop those blue seas in a live aboard. Spending the nights with catered foods, festive entertainment, and mingling with like minded aquatic fans is quite a treat and there are many of enthusiastic holidaymakers doing this very thing throughout the year. But what you may not be picturing is for your holiday escape to end in say billows of smoke and flames, a hole that just won’t plug, or even a captain being the first to jump ship and take the life boats.  Scary, yes, but these events are becoming more and more common which brings up the question, just how safe are live aboards?

It is true that there is a certain amount of risk in virtually everything we do; driving to the market, taking a jet plane, and even crossing the street to get the mail.  However, we usually do our very best to limit that amount of risk by taking safety precautions and then just avoiding doing things that ring too dangerous in our minds. Thus when these alarming cases of liveaboards bursting into flames, such as the Nai’a recently did in Fiji that resulted in two workmen injured and subsequently one who died, or the Typhoon that set ablaze, what may be just the inklings of doubt become much more prominent in our minds. It appears that regardless of adhering to the safety protocol, those taking a trip with their scuba diving gear on a liveaboard may still be in danger. This is the case as reported by the owners of the Nai’a who said they “follow the same Nai’a itineraries, with our usual cruise directors, crew, food, comfort and diving standards. Nai’a is a special and much-loved ship”.  Even if said ship is beloved, how secure can future passengers really feel while sailing the seas after such an unexpected travesty? 

Fire is not the only cause for concern with the Emperor Fraser sinking due to a hole when the live aboard hit a reef. Thankfully no one died but the hole was unable to be repaired the ship had to be left while passengers and crew awaited rescue. And when it comes to following protocol, this is anything but the case in the ongoing trial of the captain of the Coral Princess who ignored repeated warnings that the live aboard needed immediate repairs and then when the ship began to sink he was the first one to leave; abandoning not only his crew and ship the but passengers as well. This ended in two fatalities, and now he has been arrested due to the entire incident.  So it seems that bright and sunny holiday may be better spent on a grounded beach and local cabana while you take to the ocean with your scuba diving mask and fins, and opt out for the sailings on a live aboard.