JUST IN: What should have been an adventure abroad turned into a tragedy for dozens of foreign nationals off the coast of Egypt.
Specifically, a tourist submarine carrying at least 44 Russian passengers, including children, sank tragically near the Red Sea coast in Hurghada.
The catastrophic event has left 6 people feared dead, 5 injured, and 4 in critical condition as rescue teams continue to search and recover passengers.
Questions are already mounting about safety standards for these popular tourist attractions in a region repeatedly struck by maritime disasters.
Operated by a local hotel of the same name, the “Sindbad” submarine was submerged approximately half a mile off the shore when disaster struck.
Egyptian authorities rushed 21 ambulances to the scene as rescuers fought to save passengers from the sinking vessel.
The watercraft was designed to descend 82 feet below the surface to showcase the Red Sea’s famous coral reefs and marine life.
The Russian embassy in Cairo confirmed that all passengers aboard were Russian nationals.
Emergency responders managed to rescue 29 passengers from the sunken vessel, but 6 people remain unaccounted for.
Survivors were transported to local hospitals for treatment. Four individuals remain in critical condition and are fighting for their lives.
The embassy further confirmed: “Most of those on board were rescued and taken to their hotels and hospitals in Hurghada. Their health condition is not a concern. Four people died. The fate of several tourists is being clarified.”
Sindbad Submarines has operated in the region for 25 years, promoting its underwater tours as opportunities to “explore 500 metres of coral reef and its marine inhabitants,” according to the company’s website.
The tourist attraction has been a popular option for visitors looking to experience the Red Sea’s underwater wonders without scuba certification.
This disaster is not the first maritime incident in Egypt’s Red Sea tourism industry. Just last November, another tourist boat sank in the same waters, highlighting a troubling pattern of safety concerns.
While tourism is vital to Egypt’s struggling economy, the repeated accidents raise serious questions about safety standards in the region’s marine tourism sector.
The sinking also comes at a difficult time for tourism in the Red Sea, with regional conflicts already limiting activities in the area.
For decades, Egypt has promoted its coastal resorts as safe havens for those seeking sun and underwater adventures, but this latest tragedy may cause travelers to reconsider their destinations.
Egyptian authorities have not yet released information about the cause of the sinking, and a full investigation will likely take weeks to complete.
