It is with great sadness that HEPCA releases this statement concerning the loss of Abd El Megeed El Cherif, popularly known as Guido, one of the true pioneers of Red Sea diving and one of our industry’s most beloved faces.

Guido was a very special man, an unbelievable character who brought joy to every situation he encountered, and every room he entered. A businessman, Guido was a dedicated diving enthusiast and instructor, who ultimately left his everyday work behind to embrace his overwhelming passion for the sea.

Guido Cherif was the founder and original owner of the famous liveaboard M.Y. Coral Queen, a boat almost as legendary as the man himself.

M.Y. Coral Queen stood out in its class, a beautifully designed 24m motor cruiser, built in 1996, that was especially popular with British divers until her sad demise at Sha’ab Sataya in 2005. With the Coral Queen, Guido established a real landmark liveaboard in the Red Sea, with a unique atmosphere.

M.Y. Coral Queen was not notable for its size or luxury compared to the ’skyscraper boats’ that exist now, but through this boat Guido showed to the entire industry the true warmth of Egyptian hospitality.

Guido was committed to giving back to his local community and over the years many of the crew came from local tribes for training onboard. The fact that this relatively small and unassuming boat won ‘best liveboard in the world’ twice is testament to the very special kind of diving that Guido introduced to his guests.

So many people spoke highly of Guido, a real ‘Last of the Mohicans’ for the diving industry in the Red Sea.

Hossam Helmy, fellow diving pioneer in the Southern Red Sea, and owner of Red Sea Diving Safari had this to say yesterday about his close friend Guido:

“He was a real friend, a true gentleman and a genuine person. He helped me a lot and introduced me to diving at Fury Shoals, and perhaps even introduced this area as we know it now to the whole world. We spent together there many months diving and exploring sites, and he helped me personally with setting up our speedboat fleet that serves all the Red Sea Diving Safari bases throughout the South. God bless him. We will miss him.”

Our condolences and the heartfelt sympathies of the HEPCA team rest with the family and friends of Guido.