Dozens of tourists have gone missing after the sinking of a boat off the coast of Egypt.
The boat, named Sea Story, is thought to have sunk close to a popular diving destination called Shaab Satayah, off the coast of the tourist resort of Marsa Alam. It’s understood that the captain was taking the divers around the coast when the vessel experienced an as yet unknown issue. At around 5.30am this morning, a member of crew raised the alarm and the coastguard was sent out to try track them down.
The passengers had been on a multi-day diving trip in the Red Sea, which is one of the best diving destinations in the world. The ship departed from the port of Ghalib in Marsa Alam yesterday, with an expected arrival at Hurghada Marina on Friday. On board were 31 tourists of different nationalities, with an additional 14 crew members, who are reportedly Egyptian nationals.
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Shortly after the sinking, a search operation involving Egypt’s navy got underway with a helicopter scouring the waves from above.
Amr Hanafy, governor of the Red Sea region, said that search and rescue planes had been used to pluck some survivors from the ocean before transporting them to local hospitals. The remainder of the tourists were forced to stay at the boat’s last-known position, awaiting the arrival of the Al-Fateh frigate to rescue them. The governor did not provide an accurate toll on the number of the amount of fatalities, injuries and survivors.
Hanafy told locals and foreigners to avoid the crash site as rescue workers comb the ocean for survivors.
According to its website, the Sea Story is a 144ft-long liveaboard ship that sails around the Red Sea. It’s said to be able to accommodate as many as 32 passengers in its 18 air-conditioned and en-suite twin rooms. Among the facilites on board are a fully-equipped restaurant, honeymoon suites, TV and sound system.
They offer several different trips, including the wrecks and “vibrant reeds” of the North Reefs, or the Deep South, which is best for “shark action and remote diving”. Its site states that trips start at £126 per day.
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