Six Russian tourists have died and 39 others have been rescued after a submarine sank near the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Hurghada, the local governor’s office has said, adding that no passengers or crew were still missing.
The incident, involving a 44-seater recreational vessel operated by Sindbad Submarines, occurred in waters about a kilometre offshore from Hurghada’s Marriott hotel resort. One report suggested the submersible had “crashed” during the sightseeing trip near local reefs.
The Russian consulate in Hurghada said the submarine was carrying 45 Russian tourists in addition to crew on an underwater excursion to observe coral reefs when it “crashed 1km from the shore” at about 10am local time. “According to initial data, most of those on board were rescued and taken to their hotels and hospitals in Hurghada,” the consulate said, adding that diplomats had been sent to the pier.
A Russian official in Hurghada told the state-owned Russian news agency Tass that two children were among the dead.
Emergency crews were able to rescue 39 people, according to a statement from Egypt’s Red Sea governorate.
The Sindbad website says it offers short tourist trips in two submarines that have a maximum depth of 25 metres (80ft).
According to the website its submarines allow tourists to “experience the beauty of the Red Sea’s underwater world without getting wet”.
Hurghada, a resort about 280 miles (460km) south-east of Cairo, is a major destination for foreign visitors, with its airport receiving more than 9 million passengers last year, according to state media.
Thursday’s forecast in the city was clear, with above-average winds reported but optimum visibility underwater.
Dozens of tourist boats sail through the coastal area daily for snorkelling and diving activities, but Sindbad Submarines says it deploys the region’s “only real” recreational submarine.
The vessel has been operating in the area for many years, according to a source familiar with the company.
Many tourist companies have stopped or limited travelling on the Red Sea owing to the dangers from conflicts in the region over the past decade. A number of airlines suspended package flights to Egypt after the bombing of an aircraft operated by Metrojet.
The area has been the site of several deadly accidents in recent years.
In November, a dive boat capsized off the coast of Marsa Alam, south of Hurghada, leaving four dead and seven missing.
Last June, two dozen French tourists were safely evacuated before their boat sank in a similar incident.
In 2023, three British tourists died after a fire broke out on their yacht, engulfing it in flames.
Source: theguardian.com
