Egyptian naval forces rescued five people on Tuesday (26) and recovered four bodies, a day after the sinking of a tourist yacht carrying 44 passengers in the Red Sea coastal city of Marsa Alam. The yacht sank due to bad weather, authorities said. So far there are 33 survivors, while seven people remain missing.
The Sea Story, a liveaboard (a vessel designed for prolonged voyages at sea), sent a distress signal after a large wave hit the vessel, causing it to capsize, according to reports from survivors.
Some passengers were inside the cabins when the boat capsized in a matter of minutes, according to testimony.
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A rescue operation, still ongoing, was launched, and 28 people were rescued on Monday, the 25th.
On Tuesday, the governor of the Red Sea region, Amr Hanafy, reported that the five survivors are two Belgians, an Egyptian, a Swiss citizen and a Finn. He also said that the four bodies have not yet been identified.
The vessel was carrying 13 Egyptians, including crew members, and 31 foreigners from the United States, Germany, United Kingdom, Poland, Belgium, Switzerland, Finland, China, Slovakia, Spain and Ireland.
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The German Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that three Germans remained missing, while three others had been rescued. Meanwhile, Pawel Wronski, spokesman for the Polish Foreign Ministry, said two Polish citizens, a man and a woman, were also missing, and that their families had been notified.
Turbulence and high waves
Liveaboards often depart for multi-day excursions. Sea Story left Ghalib port in Marsa Alam on Sunday, expected to arrive in Hurghada five days later.
It sank 46 nautical miles from Marsa Alam, according to the governor.
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Authorities reported that the boat had no technical problems, had all the necessary authorizations for the trip and passed its last naval safety inspection in March.
According to the website of the vessel operator, Dive Pro Liveaboard, the Sea Story was built in 2022 and has capacity for 36 passengers.
On Saturday, Egypt’s Meteorological Authority warned of turbulence and high waves, recommending avoiding maritime activities on Sunday and Monday.
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Marsa Alam is famous for its pristine beaches, a wide variety of marine life and frequent sharks, especially the curious oceanic whitetip shark, attracting diving enthusiasts from all over the world. However, some of the dive sites are challenging, with strong currents, and require advanced certification.
The Egyptian army is also involved in coordinating the rescue operation.
