Egypt tourist boat latest: Red Sea search enters third day with two Britons still among seven missing
Two Britons are still unaccounted for after a tourist yacht sank in the Red Sea
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The search for seven missing people has entered a critical third day after a yacht carrying foreign tourists capsized in the Red Sea off Egypt on Monday.
Two British passengers are among seven people still missing, with German and Polish nationals believed to make up the others who are unaccounted for.
Four bodies were recovered and five people were rescued alive yesterday, bringing the total number of survivors to 33.
The governor of the Red Sea region, Amr Hanafi, said the four bodies are yet to be identified.
The rescue is being coordinated by the Egyptian military and the Red Sea Governate, with armed forces aircraft deployed to the scene.
The boat sank off the Egyptian coastal town of Marsa Alam with 44 on board, including 31 tourists of various nationalities and 13 crew members.
It has not been confirmed what caused the four-deck motor yacht to capsize, but the Egyptian Meteorological Authority had warned about rough weather, advising against maritime activity for Sunday and Monday on the Red Sea.
Five rescued in Egypt 24 hours after Red Sea boat disaster - but two Britons still missing
Egypt tourist boat: Everything we know about the incident in the Red Sea
Watch: Egypt tourist yacht survivors gather after boat sinks
Watch: Rescuers help Egyptian yacht survivors after Sea Story boat sinks off Red Sea coast
When was the distress call made?
A distress call was received at 5.30am from the boat, which had departed from Porto Ghalib in Marsa Alam on Sunday with plans to return to Hurghada Marina on 29 November.
Egyptian armed forces frigates and aircraft swept the area in search of the missing, but by 5pm the search had been paused for the night, a government source told Reuters on Monday.
Red Sea governor Amr Hanafi said that Egypt is collaborating with embassies, consulates, and relevant authorities to facilitate documentation for the rescued passengers, who are staying at a hotel in Marsa Alam, and to ensure their needs are met.
Boat tragedy echoes similar incident in June 2023
The sinking of a diving boat in the Red Sea off the coast of Egypt has shocked the region and many across the world.
Three bodies have now been recovered, with 13 people still lost at sea as rescue efforts continue.
It is not the first such incident on a diving boat in the Red Sea. in June 2023, three British tourists died after a diving boat burst into flames.
They were part of a group of 15 qualified divers. The remaining 12 divers and 13 crew members evacuated the vessel.
Here is our report from last June:
Three British tourists confirmed dead after diving boat fire in Egypt
Tour operator says 12 others were on board when the fire broke out
Capsized vessel had enough escape rafts for 50 people
The capsized Sea Story vessel had enough “safety rafts” for everyone on board the boat, its specifications show.
On the Dive Pro Liveaboard website, the company which owns and operates the boat, Sea Story is listed with “two safety rafts for 25 persons each”. There were 44 people on board the boat.
But according to Red Sea regional governor Amr Hanafi, some people were stuck in their cabins when a huge wave struck the boat and it began to capsize.
The website says that each cabin had life jackets inside.
The four-deck boat has 18 twin cabins, a lounge, and a bar. It is 44 meters long and 9 meters wide, the specifications add.
Everything we know so far
- Sea Story, an Egyptian-owned boat, had set sail on a five-day scuba diving trip, carrying 31 tourists and 13 crew.
- This was despite warnings by the Egyptian Meteorological Authority on Saturday, advising against maritime activity on Sunday and Monday.
- Survivors report that the boat was hit by a huge wave on Monday. Wave heights of 3-4 meters (10-13 feet) and wind speeds of 34 knots were reported in the area on Sunday by the Egyptian Red Sea Ports Authority.
- The boat capsized within a five to seven minutes, sparking a major rescue effort led by an Egyptian navy warship El Fateh and military aircraft. Some people were reportedly in their cabins at the time.
- The boat sunk off the popular tourist destination of Marsa Alam.
- 28 people were rescued, but on Monday night 16 people remained missing, including two Brits. Tourists on the boat included nationals from the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Poland, Belgium, Switzerland, Finland, China, Slovakia, Spain and Ireland.
- A technical defect on the boat was ruled out by the Red Sea region’s governor, Amr Hanafi, who said all the necessary safety permits had been obtained.
- Embassies from around the world confirmed on Monday that they were offering consular assistance following the incident.
- On Tuesday morning, it was reported that three bodies have been recovered. No details about the recovered bodies have been released.
Mapped: Where did the tourist yacht sink in the Red Sea?
Survivors accommodated in hotel
Survivors of the sunken boat were being accommodated in a hotel in Marsa Alam on Monday, Reuters reported.
Authorites are working with embassies and consulates as they provide assistance and documentation to the survivors.
Breaking: Three bodies recovered from capsized boat
Three bodies have been recovered from the capsized tourist boat off Egypt’s Red Sea coast, the governor of the region has announced.
Thirteen people remain missing, Red Sea Governor Amr Hanafi told Reuters on Tuesday.
We will bring you more detail as it comes.
In pictures: Medics await possible survivors
Watch: Egypt tourist yacht survivors gather after boat sinks
Ireland providing consular assistance to Irish nationals
Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs has released a statement after a vessel - which was holding Irish nationals - capsized in the Red Sea.
The department said it was “aware of this incident and is providing consular assistance”.
No further detail was provided.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments