On board were 31 tourists, of various nationalities – USA, United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, Belgium, Switzerland, Finland, China, Slovakia, Spain and Ireland -, and 13 crew members, on what would be a five-day diving excursion
Three bodies were recovered from the tourist boat in the Red Sea on Monday, according to local authorities, who are continuing the search for the 13 missing people.
Authorities believe the victims may have been inside the vessel, the “Sea Story”, which sank in about five minutes near the Sataya reef after being hit by waves of more than three meters, said the governor of the Red Sea province. , Amr Hanafi, to Reuters.
On board were 31 tourists, of various nationalities – USA, United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, Belgium, Switzerland, Finland, China, Slovakia, Spain and Ireland -, and 13 crew members, on what would be a five-day diving excursion.
The nationality of the fatal victims or those missing is not known. At this time, local authorities are in direct contact with several embassies and consulates.
The 28 survivors were rescued shortly after the accident, with minor injuries, after the authorities immediately moved to the scene with different means of assistance.
The accident is under investigation and, according to Amr Hanafi, the boat was up to date with its inspection and there was no record of safety problems. However, the weather conditions on Monday were not the best, confirmed the Egyptian Red Sea port authority, with waves of three to four meters and winds of 63 km/h being forecast, which even led to the closure of maritime traffic. on Sunday.
The “Sea Story” is the second boat to suffer an accident in this area, after another vessel in June suffered serious damage after also being hit by strong waves.
