Egyptian authorities said Monday they had rescued 28 people from a tourist boat that sank off the coast of the Red Sea, but that a search operation was still underway to find 16 others missing.
Egypt’s Red Sea governorate initially reported that 17 people were missing, but later revised that figure to 16.
The luxury yacht “Sea Story” had 45 people on board – 31 tourists of different nationalities and a crew of 14 – when it capsized on Monday after leaving the Port Ghalib marina, near Marsa Alam, on Sunday. Egyptian coast of the Red Sea, for a diving trip. this was to last until Friday, when the boat should have docked in Hurghada.
The Red Sea regional control center received a distress signal at 5:30 a.m. local time from a member of the Sea Story crew, regional authorities. said in a statementand search and rescue teams were immediately dispatched to the scene.
Red Sea Governorate/Facebook
Red Sea Governor Major General Amr Hanafi said some of the survivors were airlifted from the site to receive medical treatment, while the remaining survivors were assisted on rescue ships until the arrival of a military frigate to bring them back to shore.
The governor said Military aircraft and naval units were still searching Monday for the 16 missing people, and survivors were receiving necessary medical treatment.
The cause of the accident and the nationality of the victims had not been confirmed Monday afternoon in Egypt.
According to the Associated Press, the Egyptian Meteorological Authority had warned that high seas were expected in the Red Sea on Sunday and Monday, and advised against all maritime activity during those two days.