Three bodies were recovered on Tuesday morning from a tourist boat which capsized off Egypt’s Red Sea coast, and rescue teams were still searching for 13 missing people, the Red Sea provincial governor, Amr Hanafi, told Reuters.
The boat, the Sea Story, capsized on Monday near the Sataya Reef, carrying 31 tourists and 13 crew on a multi-day diving trip. It was struck by high waves and sank in five-seven minutes.
Sixteen passengers were believed to have been trapped inside, according to a Red Sea governorate statement on Monday.
Twenty-eight survivors were rescued with minor injuries, none requiring hospitalisation. Survivors were being accommodated in a hotel in Marsa Alam, where authorities were working with embassies and consulates to provide assistance and documentation.
The Red Sea is a popular diving destination, famous for its coral reefs and marine life, and plays a key role in Egypt's tourism industry. Source: AAP
Twenty-eight people were rescued and had only minor injuries, such as bruises and scrapes, with none requiring hospitalisation, it said.
Red Sea governor Amr Hanafi said that preliminary reports suggested a sudden large wave struck the boat, capsizing it within 5 to 7 minutes.
"Some passengers were in their cabins, which is why they were unable to escape," he said in the statement.
The governorate said a distress call was received at 5.30am local time from the boat, which had departed from Porto Ghalib in Marsa Alam on Sunday with plans to return to Hurghada Marina on 29 November.
The foreign nationals aboard the 34m long vessel, owned by an Egyptian national, included Americans, Belgians, British, Chinese, Finns, Germans, Irish, Poles, Slovakians, Spanish, and Swiss.
Hanafi said the boat had passed its last safety inspection in March 2024, with no technical issues reported.
Egypt is working with embassies, consulates, and relevant authorities to facilitate documentation for the rescued passengers to ensure their needs are met, Hanafi added.
The Egyptian Red Sea Ports Authority said in a statement it had closed maritime traffic in the area on Sunday afternoon when the wind speed reached 34 knots and wave height reached 3 to 4 metres.
