The Galatea sank around 250 kilometers from the main island of the Seychelles.Image: Liveabroad
Two Swiss people are still missing after a boat accident in the Seychelles. The owner of the boat now had to be in custody. The suspicion: negligent actions.
March 17, 2026, 10:08March 17, 2026, 10:08
The submersible “Galatea” sank on Friday off the island of Marie Louise – over 250 kilometers from the main island of the Seychelles. Seven Swiss were also on board. Four were rescued immediately, a Swiss woman was found after several hours and taken to hospital.
All those rescued are doing well given the circumstances, the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (EDA) announced at the weekend. According to local authorities, they were taken to the main island but could not yet be questioned due to their shock. Two more Swiss have been missing since Friday.
The search for the two Swiss and another missing person is ongoing. As the “Seychelles Nation” reports, an empty life raft and the dinghy have now been found. However, there is no trace of the missing people. In addition, the sunken boat could not yet be examined in more detail.
Meanwhile, the owner and captain of the “Galatea”, a 61-year-old Frenchman, has been taken into custody for 14 days, as local media report. He was taken into police custody immediately after the accident. The accusation: transporting people on the water for a fee in an unsafe or overloaded boat and (gross) negligent behavior.
According to the specifications list, the 30 meter long “Galatea” is designed for 17 people: five crew members and twelve guests. According to current information, there were 13 people on board at the time of the accident. The ship was built in 1987 and completely renovated in 2013. (front)
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