Tragedy in the Red Sea: Tourist Boat Sea Story Sinks off Egypt's Coast, Leaving Passengers Missing

Axel aus Do - ShipSpotting.com

A rescue operation is underway in the Red Sea after the tourist boat Sea Story sank near the renowned diving destination of Shaab Satayah, off the coast of Marsa Alam, Egypt. The incident occurred during a five-day diving trip, with authorities confirming that 28 individuals have been rescued, while 17 remain unaccounted for.

Details of the Incident

The Sea Story, a four-deck, wooden-hulled motor yacht, departed from Porto Ghalib Port in Marsa Alam on Sunday, intending to return to Hurghada on November 29. Onboard were 45 people, including 31 tourists and 14 Egyptian crew members. The passengers included nationals from the UK, the US, Norway, Finland, Ireland, China, Poland, Belgium, Spain, and Switzerland.

A crew member raised The alarm at approximately 5:30 a.m. this morning. Rescue efforts immediately commenced, involving helicopters and naval units from the Egyptian coastguard. According to the governor of Egypt’s Red Sea province, turbulence and high waves, as predicted by the Egyptian Meteorological Authority, may have contributed to the sinking. The authority had issued warnings against maritime activity for Sunday and Monday, though the precise cause of the incident remains unknown.

British Nationals Among the Missing

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has confirmed that British nationals were on board. Two have been rescued, but two others remain missing. An FCDO spokesperson said:

“We are providing consular support to a number of British nationals and their families following an incident in Egypt and are in contact with the local authorities.”

According to The Telegraph, Chinese and Polish nationals were declared safe, while other reports indicate that some rescued were airlifted for medical attention.

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