Shipwreck in the Red Sea –
Egyptian Navy searches for 17 missing people
A boat with 31 tourists sank this Monday morning near the seaside resort of Marsa Alam. Two Swiss were among the passengers.
The tourist boat “Sea Story” left Marsa Alam on Sunday with divers on board for a multi-day journey to Hurghada.
AFP/Khaled DESOUKI
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A boat carrying 31 tourists and 14 crew members sank off the coast of the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Marsa Alam, local media reported Monday. Twenty-eight people were rescued, while 17 are still missing.
Two Swiss were among the passengers, the region’s governor, Major General Amr Hanafi, told the German news agency dpa. Other European tourists, including four Germans, Chinese, Americans and Egyptians were also on board. The nationality of the missing is currently unknown.
The Sea Story, a cruise ship specializing in diving, sent distress signals at 5:30 a.m. (4:30 a.m. Swiss), according to a press release from the Red Sea governorate. He left Port Ghalib, in southeastern Egypt, on Sunday for a multi-day expedition. He was due to reach Hurghada, 200 km further north, on Friday.
Governor Amr Hanafi said survivors were rescued during an air operation, while others were evacuated aboard a military ship. “Research continues actively in collaboration with the navy and the armed forces,” he said in a statement.
The Red Sea, one of the main tourist destinations in Egypt, attracts millions of visitors every year. The tourism sector, crucial for this country of 105 million inhabitants in the midst of an economic crisis, employs around two million people and contributes to more than 10% of its GDP.
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