1 of 2 | Sixteen people are missing after the tour boat “Sea Story” capsized Monday during a five-day diving expedition and sank off of Egypt’s Red Sea coast. Of the 44 people on board, 28 passengers and crew were rescued. Photo courtesy of Red Sea Governate
Nov. 25 (UPI) — Sixteen people are missing after a tour boat capsized Monday during a five-day diving expedition and sank off of Egypt’s Red Sea coast.
The Sea Story yacht, which was carrying 44 people, sent a distress call at 5:30 a.m. local time, before contact with the 144-foot vessel was lost, according to the governor of Red Sea province. Of the 13 Egyptian crew and 31 tourists on board, 28 were rescued.
The Egyptian Meteorological Authority had forecast rough seas Saturday, including waves up to 13-feet through Monday. The boat departed the port near Marsa Alam on Sunday. Marsa Alam is a popular tourist destination and is surrounded by coral reefs, which draw divers from all over the world.
While a cause for the sinking has not been determined, survivor accounts say a wave hit the boat and caused it to capsize.
The Sea Story was “hit by a wave in the middle of the night, throwing the vessel on its side,” according to one of the survivors.
“The situation unfolded rapidly, taking only five to seven minutes, and some passengers were trapped inside cabins, preventing their escape,” added Red Sea Governor Major Gen. Amr Hanafi.
Many of the survivors, who were located in the Wadi el-Gemal area, received medical care as the Egyptian Navy and military aircraft continued to search for the missing.
Among the passengers on board were two Americans, four British divers, four Egyptian tourists, five Spanish and four Germans, among other nationalities.
The British Foreign Office said they were “providing support to a number of British nationals and their families following an incident in Egypt,” according to the BBC.
“A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Egypt said two Chinese citizens “were in good health” after they were rescued.
Finland has confirmed one of their nationals is missing, while authorities say four Egyptians are also unaccounted for.