Six dead after tourist submarine sinks in Red Sea

A tourist submarine taking 45 people on an underwater cruise of coral reefs in the Red Sea sank off the Egyptian resort town, leaving six Russians dead, the provincial governor said.

The remaining tourists, more than two dozen of whom were injured, were rescued, he said

The cause of the sinking on Thursday was not immediately known. The Russian consulate said it took place about 1000 metres offshore.

The submarine was carrying 45 tourists and five Egyptian crew members when it sank, Red Sea governor Major-General Amr Hanafi, said in a statement, adding that rescue teams were quickly sent.

He said all six dead were Russians, and that 29 of the 39 tourists rescued were injured and taken to hospitals. No one was still missing from the vessel, he said.

Hurghada is a major destination for divers and other tourists drawn by the Red Sea’s extensive coral reefs.

The submarine, named Sindbad, runs tours lasting about 40 minutes underwater, cruising at depths up to about 25m underwater with panoramic windows on the bottom to give views of the marine life, according to the website of the company that the Russian consulate identified as running the vessel.

The company did not respond to phone calls seeking comment.

Russia’s Tass news agency earlier said the Russian dead included at least two children, citing the country’s consul in Hurghada.

The consulate had said all 45 tourists on board were Russian, but the Egyptian governor said they also included Indian, Norwegian and Swedish citizens.

Footage posted by the governor’s office showed Hanafy meeting survivors at the hospital, including two Egyptian crewmembers.

One Russian tourist had a small bandage on his head.

A family with two young daughters smiled and told him they were OK. An Indian man asked Hanafy to see his daughter, who remains in critical condition, doctors can be heard explaining.

Last November, a tourist yacht sank in the Red Sea after warnings of rough waters, Egyptian officials said. At least four people drowned, while 33 were rescued.

Tourism is an important sector of Egypt’s economy but many tourist companies have stopped or limited travelling on the Red Sea due to the dangers from conflicts in the region.