Egypt dive boat fire: British victim named as Christina Quinn

One of the three British passengers who died after a dive boat caught fire in Egypt has been named.

Christina Quinn, 58, was chief executive of St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth, and had a long career in the NHS.

A spokesperson for her family said: “It is with great sadness that we confirm the tragic death of Christina Quinn in Egypt.

“She was a sister, daughter, wife, aunty, friend, and rock to many. She will be missed beyond words.”

The three tourists were among 15 qualified diving enthusiasts who were on a week’s stay on the Hurricane vessel when the fire broke out around 8.30am local time (6.30am UK time) on Sunday.

The trio who died had chosen not to dive that day, while the other 12 were attending a briefing on board when the blaze began.

The vessel, which had left Port Ghalib on Tuesday last week, was located off the Elphinstone Reef in the Red Sea near the town of Marsa Alam when the incident happened.

Footage on social media appeared to show the boat almost entirely engulfed in flames and smoke.

Read more:
Three British passengers confirmed dead
Boat burst into flames in Egypt

A nearby vessel was used to evacuate the 12 tourists, and the 14 crew members also had to abandon ship, according to Scuba Travel, a British holiday company.

Paying tribute to Ms Quinn, Charles Hackett, chair of St Luke’s Trustees, said: “Christina was incredibly passionate about St Luke’s and its place at the heart of the community it serves, and we are devastated to lose her warmth, wisdom, and leadership.”

He said Ms Quinn had previously worked voluntarily for six years as chair of St Luke’s board, adding: “We will miss Christina enormously.”

Authorities said initial reports suggested the blaze was due to an electrical short circuit in the boat’s engine room.

A full investigation into the cause is to be carried out by police and local authorities.