17 People missing after a tourist yacht sank in the Red Sea, Egyptian officials confirm.
Picture of the capsized sea story luxury yacht shared online by the Governorate of Egypt as reported this morning
A boat carrying 45 people including 31 tourists of various nationalities and 14 crew on a multi-day diving trip capsized near the coastal town of Marsa Alam, According to a statement by the Red Sea Governorate on the early hours of Monday.
The governor of the Red Sea region, Maj-Gen Amr Hanafi said rescuers saved 28 people from the vessel south of the coastal town of Marsa Alam, and some were airlifted to receive medical treatment while still on intensive search for the missing 17 people .It is unclear who is among the rescued and who is still missing.
According to the local council in Marsa Alam, the crew of the Sea Story are all Egyptians and the tourists on board included five Spanish, four British, four Germans and two US nationals.
Reason Why the boat capsized
According to their website, the Sea Story was built in 2022 and is 44m (144ft) long and can hold 36 passengers.
It was not immediately clear what caused the four-deck and eighteen cabin motor yacht to sink. But the Egyptian Meteorological Authority on Saturday warned about turbulence and high waves on the Red Sea and advised against maritime activity for Sunday and Monday.
Wind speeds between 60-70 km/h, and wave heights were three to four metres high.
A staff member of a diving resort close to the rescue operation told AFP that a rescued crew member said they were “hit by a wave in the middle of the night, throwing the vessel on its side”.
The Egyptian military was coordinating rescue operations with the governorate.
Many tourist companies have stopped or limit traveling on the Red Sea due to the dangers from conflicts in the region.
