In full COVID-19 lockdown since March 2020, the town of Dahab on the southeast coast of the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt was so eager to get back to the pristine conditions of the Red Sea. Among those was our Ghost Diving Egypt team.

Making use of a 3-day government allowed sea clean-up dives, the team scouted a heavily fished area and found a 50m long fishnet abandoned on the seabed.

The ghost net was entangled in live hard-corals and took the team a 75min dive to ensure its completely untangled before it was lifted up to the surface and taken out.

Expected to be allowed to dive again later this month, and in collaboration with volunteer free divers, the team is very optimistic about the efforts of their newly formed “Ghost Diving Egypt Scouting Team” to cover a wider spectrum and eventually work towards a waste-free Red Sea.

To report any ghost fishing gear spotted at the Red Sea, and to know more about our Egypt chapter, please visit their Facebook page.

Photos by Nacho Pelaez