Egyptian Diver Recounts Saving Nephew from Sunken Red Sea Vessel

An Egyptian diver participating in the recovery efforts for a tourist vessel that capsized in the Red Sea recounted discovering his nephew among the passengers who were confined but still alive aboard the craft. On Tuesday, search teams located five individuals who had survived on the boat, along with four deceased. As the search entered its third day, seven individuals were still unaccounted for. Mr Khattab al-Faramawy informed the BBC, “We dived 12m (40ft) under water – the survivors were trapped inside the boat cabins.” These individuals had endured over 24 hours on the vessel after it was submerged by a substantial wave near Marsa Alam, situated off Egypt’s eastern coastline, on Monday. Mr al-Faramawy detailed the challenges involved in exploring the sunken four-deck vessel to locate passengers and crew members. He stated, “We were using torch lights to try to find our way into the darkness, it was quite a complicated mission.” Ultimately, they managed to unseal cabin doors to extract those who had survived. His nephew was one of the rescued individuals. Youssef, aged 23, was employed as a diving instructor on the vessel. His father, Hussam al-Faramawy, shared with the BBC during an emotional telephone conversation, “He was trying to save the passengers on board but got locked in one of the cabins.” He added, “I could do nothing but pray to God to help my boy, and thankfully his uncle finally saved him.” Hussam al-Faramawy stated that he wept upon learning of his son’s survival. He recounted, “I couldn’t tell his mother what happened to the boat, she would have died immediately. I only told her after I realised that he survived.” Youssef, along with other individuals who survived, is presently undergoing medical care at a local hospital. To date, 33 of the 44 occupants aboard the Sea Story have been saved. Authorities have not yet revealed the names of those who perished or are unaccounted for. The BBC has learned that two of the individuals still missing are British citizens. The Egyptian navy is overseeing the rescue efforts, and the military has prevented the survivors from interacting with the media. Local officials have published videos of the rescue mission, featuring scenes of survivors, some wrapped in blankets and one on a stretcher, being transported to the coastline. An unidentified survivor is shown stating he had been “shaking with cold” prior to his rescue. The 44-meter Sea Story departed from a port close to Marsa Alam on Sunday for a planned five-day diving excursion. It is thought to have encountered strong winds during Sunday night, and Red Sea governor Maj-Gen Amr Hanafi indicated that it submerged within five to seven minutes. The Egyptian Meteorological Authority had issued warnings regarding elevated waves in the Red Sea and recommended avoiding sea-based activities on Sunday and Monday. Egyptian authorities stated that the vessel possessed a current safety certificate and was believed to be free of technical malfunctions. Diving excursions and maritime voyages represent a significant draw for tourists frequenting the Egyptian Red Sea resorts. Marsa Alam, the departure point for the boat, is a favored location for European tourists, owing to its transparent waters, bright weather, and impressive aquatic ecosystem. The local council in Marsa Alam reported that the tourists aboard originated from Belgium, the UK, China, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, and the US. The foreign ministry in Warsaw indicated that two Polish tourists are among those who are still missing. A spokesperson for the UK Foreign Office stated that they are offering “support to a number of British nationals and their families following an incident in Egypt.” The Chinese embassy in Egypt confirmed that two of its citizens were “in good health” subsequent to their rescue. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.