Distraught owners battle to save their historic Nile houseboats

STORY: Location: GIZA, EGYPT

A battle has begun on the Nile to save these historic houseboats -->

Distraught owners are having their homes demolished and towed away

as authorities begin to remove what they say are unlicensed units

[Ikhlas Helmy, 87-year-old houseboat owner]

“My entire life has been in a houseboat, son. I was born in a houseboat.”

87-year-old Ikhlas Helmy has invested her savings into her boat

The boats have been moored here for decades just west of central Cairo

Many of them are elegant two-story structures with verandas

and have featured in films and literature

[Ikhlas Helmy, 87-year-old houseboat owner]

"This is heritage, this is history. People come to me for interviews on the history of houseboats. They come and tell me I am the oldest resident of a houseboat and I’m known for that. I’m known for being (witness) to the history of houseboats. And whoever comes to me I tell them everything about houseboats. It is history that dates back to the King (Farouk), I witnessed the days of the king."

Authorities say it's part of an effort

to prioritize tourism and commerce

A Nile protection official compared the houseboats to polluting old cars

[Ahmed Youssef El Hosseiny, Owner of demolished houseboat]

"We received a warning to evacuate the houseboat, not only me, but the 32 families who live in houseboats. We started to collect our possessions, our stories, our history, our hearts, our memories, and our feelings and place them into boxes. I would love to remember all the times that my address was the Nile and whatever happens, my address will always be the Nile."