Sixteen missing after Red Sea tourist boat sinks

bbc ^ | 11/25/2024 | Hafsa Khalil & David Gritten

[BenLurkin]

Egyptian authorities say 16 people are missing, including foreigners, and 28 have been rescued after a tourist boat sank in the Red Sea.

Two of those missing are British, the BBC understands. Finland has confirmed one of their nationals is unaccounted for, while authorities say four Egyptians are also missing.

The boat with 44 people on board sent a distress signal at 05:30 (03:30 GMT), according to the governor of Red Sea province.

Authorities have not indicated the possible cause of the incident, but added accounts of people onboard mentioned a wave hit the boat and caused it to capsize. Weather forecasters had warned against marine activities for Sunday and Monday.

The Sea Story left port near Marsa Alam on Sunday for a five-day diving trip, according to officials.

Red Sea Governor Maj-Gen Amr Hanafi said the survivors were found in the Wadi el-Gemal area, south of Marsa Alam, and that they were receiving the necessary medical care.

He added the Egyptian Navy warship El Fateh and military aircraft were intensifying their efforts to locate the missing, with rescue teams working around the clock.

On Saturday, the Egyptian Meteorological Authority forecast turbulence on the Mediterranean and Red Seas due to the weather.

Wind speeds were between 37-43 mph (60-70 km/h), and wave heights were three to four metres (10-13ft) high, they said.

[Kriggerel]

Sixteen Missing and what do you get...?

[Cobra64]

Somali pirates?

[Henchster]

Looks like a pretty high-end dive boat...

...but that was some pretty nasty weather for any boat.

[katana]

Shark food. I once supplied boating gear to a firm in Jeddah and heard stories about how infested the Red Sea is. Divers were sometimes found floating with their BC’s inflated with the bottom halves of their bodies gone.