A Submarine With 45 Tourists Sinks In Egypt’s Red Sea, Resulting In 6 Deaths

Tragically, six Russian tourists lost their lives on Thursday when a sightseeing submarine sank near the popular resort city of Hurghada in Egypt, as reported by local officials.

Major General Amr Hanafy provided an update on a tragic accident involving a boat in the Red Sea. He reported that were 45 people on board, including tourists from countries like Russia, India, Norway, and Sweden, as well as five crew members from Egypt. While six Russian tourists sadly lost their lives, the good news is that all the other passengers were rescued.

Hanafy added that four of the tourists were in critical condition and currently receiving treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU) at local hospitals.

It was not immediately clear what caused the submarine to sink, as weather conditions on Thursday was reportedly clear with optimum visibility underwater.

Egyptian authorities are investigating with crew members to determine the causes of the submarine sinking, and the local governorate cited Red Sea Province Governor Amr Hanafy as saying,

He said the submarine, which is owned by an Egyptian, and the crew captain were licensed.

There have been several recent incidents of tourist boats capsizing. Last June, a boat sank after suffering severe damage from high waves, though no casualties were reported.

And in November, a tourist boat capsized while carrying 31 tourists and 13 crew on a multi-day diving trip. Local media reported that at least 11 people had died in the incident, which was also blamed on high waves.

According to Sindbad Submarines’ website, the submarine featured large portholes that allowed passengers to view the Red Sea’s spectacular corals and marine life. It had the capability to dive to a depth of 25 meters (82 feet).

The cause of the submarine’s sinking is still unclear, as weather conditions on Thursday were reported to be clear, with optimal visibility underwater.