US tourist accuses scuba instructor of inappropriate conduct during Dive in Egypt

US tourist and Scuba instructor

A US tourist has accused a scuba diving instructor of inappropriate behavior during an underwater training session in Egypt, raising concerns about safety and professionalism in the tourism sector.

Rasha Mediene, a 31-year-old content creator from Los Angeles, California, reportedly traveled solo to Egypt and enrolled in a €350 scuba diving course, with the incident occurring on March 1 during her first day of training.

According to Ms Mediene, she met the instructor prior to the dive, where he refrained from greeting her with a hug due to the observance of Ramadan and her being Muslim. However, she alleges that the situation changed once they were underwater.

While recording the session on her camera, Ms Mediene claims the instructor initially held her hand, which she considered normal. She stated that the situation later became uncomfortable when the instructor allegedly began touching her inappropriately, including her lower body.

Video footage from the dive reportedly shows the instructor placing his arm around her and making physical contact that she later described as unwarranted. She also alleged that when she attempted to move away, the instructor held onto her legs, preventing her from distancing herself.

Speaking about the experience, Ms Mediene said she was confused at first, as she was new to diving and unsure whether the contact was part of standard procedure. However, she later concluded that the actions were inappropriate and unnecessary.

“I was trying to show that Egypt is one of the cheapest places to do scuba diving,” she said, adding that she felt upset and uncomfortable following the incident.

The incident has since sparked conversations online about safety protocols, consent, and the conduct of instructors in the diving industry.

Credit: roam.with.rasha