Egypt tourist boat latest: More survivors rescued as search intensifies for remaining missing passengers
Two Britons are still unaccounted for after a tourist yacht sank in the Red Sea
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Your support makes all the difference.Four bodies have been recovered from the tourist yacht which was hit by a “huge wave” and sank off the Red Sea coast of Egypt on Monday.
But five more people were found alive today - two Belgian tourists, an Egyptian a Swiss national and a Finnish national - and rescue teams were still searching for eight missing people, the area’s governor said in a statement. This brings the total number of survivors to 33.
Two Britons were among the 16 people initially reported missing, according to Red Sea governor Amr Hanafi. It is unconfirmed whether the Brits were among the bodies recovered on Tuesday.
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 31 tourists of various nationalities and 13 crew members on board.
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.
What was this vessel doing and what do we know about the boat?
Sea Story was a liveaboard diving boat, based near the Red Sea port of Marsa Alam. She is one of dozens of similar vessels that take divers out to some of the most exciting underwater locations on the planet – with reefs, wrecks and colourful fish.
For a week’s voyage with the dive operator, Dive Pro Liveaboard, you would pay €1,220 (just over £1,000) and enjoy three or four dives per day.
Sea Story was kitted out with 16 double cabins, so room for 32 divers, and a usual crew of 12 – eight seafarers and four kitchen staff. She was very modern, built in 2022. The operator, Dive Pro Liveaboard, says it is “locally owned and operating from the heart of Hurghada” – a Red Sea resort popular with British travellers.
The Red Sea governorate said the boat had passed a safety inspection in March 2024.
Pictured: Sea Story vessel
The 144-foot two-engine Sea Story vessel was built in 2022 and is registered in Safaga, Egypt, according to the boat’s owner.
Owned by tourist company Dive pro Liveaboard, the boat has space for 36 passengers and 12 crew members including a captain, cooks, waiters and sailors.
At the time it sank, it was carrying 44 people. This included 31 tourists and 13 crew members, according to the Red Sea governornate.
It carried safety jackets in each cabin and two 25-person safety rafts, according to Dive pro Liveaboard’s website.
In pictures: Rescue workers bring survivors to safety
Yacht operation company ‘has no information on matter’
The yacht was operated by Dive Pro Liveaboard, which is based in the Egyptian resort of Hurghada.
The company previously said it has no information on the matter, and has not provided any comment on the rescue operation on Tuesday.
Watch: Egypt tourist yacht survivors gather after boat sinks
Breaking: Fifth survivor of the day rescued
The fifth survivor of the day - a Finnish national - has now been rescued by Egyptian authorities.
It brings the total number of survivors up to 33, with four people confirmed dead and seven people missing.
Earlier today, four people were rescued and four bodies were recovered. On Monday, 28 people were rescued after the boat capsized.
Irish foreign minister says citizen onboard yacht is ‘OK’ - reports
An Irish citizen who was on board a tourist yacht which sank in the Red Sea off Egypt yesterday is safe, Irish media cited foreign minister Micheál Martin as saying.
“My understanding is that Irish citizen is OK and receiving consular assistance from the Department of Foreign Affairs,” Mr Martin told reporters in Dublin on Tuesday morning, according to RTE.
Breaking: Another survivor found
Another survivor has been found alive and rescued as the major search and rescue operation continues.
This brings the number of survivors up to 32, with four people confirmed dead and eight people still missing.
It comes after three people were found alive earlier today and four bodies were recovered.
Chinese and Polish nationals declared safe
The Chinese embassy in Egypt said Monday two of its nationals were “in good health” after being “rescued in the cruise ship sinking accident in the Red Sea”, Chinese state media reported.
Pawel Wronski, the Polish foreign ministry spokesman, said authorities “have information that two of the tourists may have had Polish citizenship”.
“That’s all we know about them. That’s all we can say for now,” he said. The Finnish foreign ministry confirmed one of its nationals is missing.
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