Six Russian tourists have died and 39 people have been rescued after a submarine sank near the resort of Hurghada, the latest in a series of fatal accidents involving tourists on Egypt’s Red Sea coast.
Four survivors, including at least one child, were admitted to intensive care, according to an official statement.
The incident, involving a 44-seater recreational vessel operated by Sindbad Submarines, occurred in waters less than a mile offshore from Hurghada’s Marriott hotel resort.
One report suggested the submersible had “crashed” during the sightseeing trip near local reefs.
Investigations were underway to determine the cause of the accident, the local governor’s office said, adding that the submarine “had a valid licence and its crew leader had the requisite academic qualifications”.
“Six people were struggling under the water and we were able to pull them out,” a Sindbad employee told the governor in the hospital, according to a video shared by the governor’s office.
There have been several deadly accidents in the area in recent years, raising questions over safety standards. In November, a dive boat capsized off the coast of Marsa Alam, south of Hurghada, leaving four dead and seven missing. In June 2024, two dozen French tourists were safely evacuated before their boat sank in a similar incident. In 2023, three British tourists died after a fire broke out on their yacht, engulfing it in flames.
The submarine was carrying 45 tourists and five Egyptian crew members when it sank, the Red Sea governor, Maj Gen Amr Hanafi, said in a statement, adding that rescue teams were quickly sent.
Hanafi said all six dead were Russians, and 29 of the 39 tourists rescued were injured and taken to hospital. No people remained missing from the vessel, he said, suggesting the crew had also been rescued.
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.
The consulate said the submarine was on an underwater excursion to observe coral reefs when it “crashed 1km from the shore” at about 10am local time. “According to initial data, most of those onboard were rescued and taken to their hotels and hospitals in Hurghada,” the consulate said, adding that diplomats had been sent to the pier.
Tourism is a key source of income for Egypt, in which Russian tourists play an increasing part. A United Nations report ranked Egypt first in Africa for tourism revenues in 2024 at $14.1bn (£11bn), more than twice what it earns in Suez Canal revenues.
Many tourist companies have stopped or limited travelling on the Red Sea owing to the dangers from conflicts in the region over the past decade. A number of airlines suspended package flights to Egypt after the bombing of an aircraft operated by Metrojet in 2015.
The Sindbad website says it offers short tourist trips in two submarines usually lasting about three hours and which operate to a maximum depth of 25 metres (80ft).
According to the website its submarines allow tourists to “experience the beauty of the Red Sea’s underwater world without getting wet”.
Hurghada, a resort about 280 miles (460km) south-east of Cairo, is a major destination for foreign visitors, with its airport receiving more than 9 million passengers last year, according to state media.
Thursday’s forecast in the city was clear, with above-average winds reported but optimum visibility underwater.
Dozens of tourist boats sail through the coastal area daily for snorkelling and diving activities, but Sindbad Submarines says it deploys the region’s “only real” recreational submarine. The vessel has been operating in the area for many years, a source familiar with the company told Agence France-Presse.
Source: theguardian.com
