Egypt's dive industry fears over loss of Red Sea Islands

Egypt's president Abel Fatah al-Sisi under fire for signing a deal to hand over Tiran and Sanafir islands in the Red Sea to Saudi Arabia. The deal paves the way for the construction of a bridge linking Saudi Arabia to Sharm el-Sheikh, one of the most popular dive resorts in world.

Travel & Trips

The proposed Saudi-Egypt Causeway would pass through Tiran Island. The bridge, to be named after King Salman of Saudi Arabia, will facilitate pilgrimages to Mecca and promote local industry. The announcement followed Egypt and Saudi Arabia signing an agreement on maritime border demarcation and marking the islands of Tiran and Sanafir within Saudi regional waters.

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Saudia Arabia —Diving the Kingdom

In the heart of the Middle East, occupying 80 percent of the eastern shoreline of the Red Sea, sits the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It covers an area of over 870, 000 square miles, almost all of which is desert, which holds more than a quarter of the world’s oil reserves. Despite its close proximity to Egypt and Sudan—places that are considered by many people to be some of the world’s greatest diving locations—the reefs around Saudi Arabia have barely been dived.

Words:
Dan Beecham
Images:
Dan Beecham
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Travel & Trips

Saudi Arabia is infamous for being difficult, and oftentimes impossible to get into. At the same time, it welcomes with open arms thousands of expatriate workers every year, as well as over 3.5 million tourists annually, almost entirely comprised of pilgrims performing the Haj or Umrah. If you’re non-Muslim and are not sponsored by an employer in Saudi, attaining a visit visa is nigh on impossible.

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