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Sinking of the Galatea

Operator
Vessel
Date
Location
near Marie-Louise Island, Amirantes group, Seychelles
Fatalities
0 (3 missing)

According to Divernet and DIVE Magazine, the liveaboard Galatea, operated by Blue Sea Divers, sank before dawn on 13 March 2026 near Marie-Louise Island in the Seychelles' Amirantes group, with a rapid sinking around 5.37am consistent with catastrophic flooding. Nine people reached Desroches Island by dinghy the same day and a tenth, a Swiss national, was rescued separately that afternoon. Three people remained missing as of the cited reporting: two Swiss guests and one Seychellois crew member. The vessel's French captain was remanded by the Seychelles Supreme Court for 14 days under laws governing unsafe or overloaded commercial conveyance; he had not been charged as of the cited reporting.

Conditions that day

Wind
8 to 16 kn from 290°
Strongest gust
21 kn
Hour by hour (24 of 24 hours, UTC)
UTCWindGustFrom
00:0016 kn21 kn290°
01:0015 kn21 kn290°
02:0015 kn21 kn280°
03:0015 kn20 kn280°
04:0015 kn19 kn280°
05:0014 kn19 kn290°
06:0014 kn19 kn290°
07:0014 kn19 kn290°
08:0014 kn19 kn290°
09:0014 kn19 kn290°
10:0013 kn20 kn290°
11:0012 kn19 kn290°
12:0012 kn17 kn300°
13:0010 kn16 kn300°
14:009 kn17 kn300°
15:0010 kn17 kn290°
16:009 kn17 kn290°
17:009 kn15 kn290°
18:008 kn14 kn290°
19:008 kn13 kn290°
20:008 kn12 kn290°
21:008 kn13 kn290°
22:008 kn13 kn280°
23:008 kn14 kn290°

ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, sampled 16 km from the recorded position. Modelled conditions across the whole day, not an observation at the vessel: a grid this coarse averages away the localised squall or wave a report may describe. Not a statement of cause.

Photos

Sources

Divernet
3 missing, captain held after Seychelles liveaboard sinking·17 March 2026
DIVE Magazine
Three missing after Seychelles liveaboard Galatea sinks·16 March 2026