Red Sea Tourist Vessel Sinking: Five Survivors Located a Day Later

Egyptian search teams located four deceased individuals and five survivors on Tuesday during an operation in the Red Sea, following the sinking of a tourist boat carrying 44 people on Monday. A total of 33 individuals have been rescued thus far, but seven remained unaccounted for as of Tuesday evening. Authorities have not yet released the identities of the deceased. The BBC understands that two of those missing are British citizens. The modern, four-deck vessel, which had 31 passengers and 13 crew members aboard, is believed to have been struck by a large wave near Marsa Alam, leading to its capsizing. The boat transmitted distress signals at 05:30 local time (03:30 GMT), according to local officials. Red Sea governor Maj-Gen Amr Hanafi stated that the ship sank within five to seven minutes, noting that some individuals were unable to exit their cabins. In the hours after the vessel overturned, military personnel and a passing tourist boat rescued 28 people. The governor had previously indicated that additional survivors were discovered in the Wadi el-Gemal area, situated south of Marsa Alam. The 44m (144ft) yacht, named Sea Story, had departed a port close to Marsa Alam on Sunday for a five-day diving excursion, which was scheduled to conclude further north in the town of Hurghada. It is thought to have encountered strong winds during Sunday night. The Egyptian Meteorological Authority had issued warnings for high waves on the Red Sea and advised against maritime activities on both Sunday and Monday. Wind speeds ranged from 37-43 mph (60-70 kmph), and wave heights reached three to four metres (10-13ft). The local council in Marsa Alam reported that the crew of the Sea Story are Egyptian, while the tourists on board originated from Belgium, Britain, China, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, and the US. Among those still missing are two Polish tourists and one from Finland, as confirmed by the foreign ministries of those respective nations. A spokesperson for the UK Foreign Office stated they were providing “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” after their rescue. Marsa Alam serves as a popular destination for visitors along Egypt’s southern Red Sea coast. It is surrounded by numerous diving locations, including renowned coral reefs. The Red Sea governorate indicated that an Egyptian national owned the boat, which had received a one-year validity certificate in March 2024 following a maritime safety inspection. Hanafi asserted that no technical defects were present at the time of the incident. He also visited Marsa Alam to meet the rescued individuals, confirming their good health and that none required hospital admission. The passengers are being transported to a tourist hotel in the vicinity, he added. The BBC has reached out to Dive Pro Liveaboard, the Egypt-based owner and operator of Sea Story. Its website states that the vessel was constructed in 2022, featuring four decks and 18 cabins capable of accommodating up to 36 passengers. Last year, three British individuals perished off the coast of Marsa Alam when their dive boat caught fire.