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The search for seven missing people has entered a critical third day after a yacht carrying foreign tourists capsized in the Red Sea off Egypt on Monday.
Two British passengers are among seven people still missing, with German and Polish nationals believed to make up the others who are unaccounted for.
Four bodies were recovered and five people were rescued alive yesterday, bringing the total number of survivors to 33.
The governor of the Red Sea region, Amr Hanafi, said the four bodies are yet to be identified.
The rescue is being coordinated by the Egyptian military and the Red Sea Governate, with armed forces aircraft deployed to the scene.
The boat sank off the Egyptian coastal town of Marsa Alam with 44 on board, including 31 tourists of various nationalities and 13 crew members.
It has not been confirmed what caused the four-deck motor yacht to capsize, but the Egyptian Meteorological Authority had warned about rough weather, advising against maritime activity for Sunday and Monday on the Red Sea.
Everything we know so far
Here’s all you need to know about the boat which capsized in the Red Sea on Monday:
- Sea Story, an Egyptian-owned boat, had set sail from Porto Ghalib on a five-day diving trip, carrying 31 tourists and 13 crew.
- This was despite warnings by the Egyptian Meteorological Authority on Saturday, advising against maritime activity on Sunday and Monday.
- At 5:30am on Monday, the ship sent out a distress signal, sparking a major rescue effort led by an Egyptian navy warship El Fateh and military aircraft.
- Survivors report that the boat was hit by a huge wave. Wave heights of 3-4 meters (10-13 feet) and wind speeds of 34 knots were reported in the area on Sunday by the Egyptian Red Sea Ports Authority.
- The boat capsized within five to seven minutes. Some people were reportedly in their cabins at the time the wave hit. It sank off the popular tourist destination of Marsa Alam.
- By the end of Monday, 28 people had been rescued and 16 people remained missing, including two Brits. Tourists on the boat included nationals from the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Poland, Belgium, Switzerland, Finland, China, Slovakia, Spain and Ireland.
- A technical defect on the boat was ruled out by the Red Sea region’s governor, Amr Hanafi, who said all the necessary safety permits had been obtained.
- Embassies from around the world confirmed on Monday that they were offering consular assistance following the incident.
- On Tuesday, four bodies were recovered and five more people were rescued, bringing the total of survivors to 33.
- As of Wednesday morning, the search for seven remaining missing people goes on.
Sun rises on a third day of major search
Seven people are still missing out at sea after the Sea Story vessel capsized on Monday.
The sun has now risen on the third day of the major search, led by Egyptian naval forces, in which 33 people have been rescued and four bodies have been recovered.
The picture below was taken from the beach where survivors of the boat were brought to safety on Monday.
Watch: Red Sea yacht survivor speaks for first time after rescue
A survivor of the Egypt tourist yacht that sank in the Red Sea off Egypt on Monday (26 November) thanked his rescuers in an emotional exchange on Tuesday.
The Belgian tourist told officials “It’s very nice to be back” as five people were rescued alive, bringing the total number of survivors to 33.
“I really appreciate [the rescue efforts of the Egyptian military],” he added, before thanking them for his welcome onboard and the warm shower he was given after he had been “shaking with cold”.
Poland and Germany say their nationals missing
The Polish foreign ministry said two Polish nationals, a man and a woman, are still missing in the Egypt boat tragedy.
Addressing reporters, spokesperson Paweł Wroński said the families of those missing have been notified.
Meanwhile, the German foreign ministry said yesterday that three Germans remain missing while three others have been rescued.
Pictured: Sea Story vessel
The 144-foot two-engine Sea Story vessel was built in 2022 and is registered in Safaga, Egypt, according to the boat’s owner.
Owned by tourist company Dive pro Liveaboard, the boat has space for 36 passengers and 12 crew members including a captain, cooks, waiters and sailors.
At the time it sank, it was carrying 44 people. This included 31 tourists and 13 crew members, according to the Red Sea governornate.
It carried safety jackets in each cabin and two 25-person safety rafts, according to Dive pro Liveaboard’s website.
Egypt tourist yacht survivors gather after boat sinks
Sea Story yacht reported no technical issues
Egyptian officials have said that the yacht that sank into the Red Sea passed its last safety inspection in March with no technical issues reported.
The vessel owned by an Egyptian national had a one-year validity certificate in March 2024 when it was inspected by maritime safety, the Red Sea governorate said.
It was 34 metres long and built in 2022 to hold 36 passengers.
It was not immediately clear what caused the four-deck, wooden-hulled motorized yacht to sink.
However, the Egyptian Red Sea Ports Authority reported that there were wave heights of 10-13 feet and wind speeds of 34 knots in the area on Sunday. It cited rescued crew members and tourists.
UK giving support to ‘a number of British nationals’
Two Britons are among those missing after a tourist yacht sank in the Red Sea off Egypt.
Consular support is being provided to “a number of British nationals and their families” after the vessel capsized south of the coastal town of Marsa Alam, the UK Foreign Office said.
The Sea Story was carrying 44 people, including 31 foreign nationals from the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Poland, Belgium, Switzerland, Finland, China, Slovakia, Spain and Ireland.
Five people were found alive on Tuesday, adding to a total of 33 people rescued from the boat, but British nationals were not part of the cohort that was found.
The governor of the Red Sea region, Amr Hanafi, said the five survivors were two Belgians, an Egyptian, a Swiss citizen, and a Finnish national. He also said the four bodies are yet to be identified.
Ireland’s government has confirmed that the Irish citizen who was onboard is “OK”.
Foreign Affairs minister Micheal Martin provided the update to reporters in Dublin on Tuesday morning.
“My understanding is that Irish citizen is OK and receiving consular assistance from the Department of Foreign Affairs,” he said.
Chinese and Polish nationals declared safe
The Chinese embassy in Egypt said Monday two of its nationals were “in good health” after being “rescued in the cruise ship sinking accident in the Red Sea”, Chinese state media reported.
Pawel Wronski, the Polish foreign ministry spokesman, said authorities “have information that two of the tourists may have had Polish citizenship”.
“That’s all we know about them. That’s all we can say for now,” he said. The Finnish foreign ministry confirmed one of its nationals is missing.
This post was originally published on here
