Sawt Falasteen - Six Russians dead in sinking of Egypt tourist submarine

The governor of Egypt's Red Sea region, Amr Hanafi, said "39 foreign tourists had been rescued and six others killed, with no one missing," according to a statement shared by his office, confirming that the six tourists were Russian.

Russian state news agencies quoted General Consul Viktor Voropaev as saying that two of the deceased were minors.

The Russian consulate in the tourist hub of Hurghada earlier said the vessel had been carrying "45 tourists, including minors" on an underwater excursion to observe coral reefs when it "crashed 1 kilometre from the shore" at about 10:00 am local time (0800 GMT).

Hanafi's office said the vessel was carrying 45 tourists "of different nationalities including Russian, Indian, Norwegian and Swedish" and five Egyptian crew members.

The website of Sindbad Submarines, the vessel's owner according to the Russian consulate, said it could carry 44 passengers and two crew members to up to 25 metres (27 yards) depth.

The consulate said that according to initial information, "most of those on board were rescued and taken to their hotels and hospitals in Hurghada".

Investigations were underway to determine the cause of the accident, the governor's office said, adding that 21 ambulances had been dispatched.

The submarine "had a valid license and its crew leader had the requisite academic qualifications," they added.

"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.

Four survivors, including at least one minor, were admitted to intensive care, according to the official statement.

- Deadly accidents -

Hurghada, a resort town about 400 kilometres (250 miles) southeast of the Egyptian capital Cairo, is a major destination for visitors to Egypt, with its airport receiving more than nine million passengers last year, according to state media.

Thursday's forecast in the city was clear, with above average wind speeds reported but optimum visibility underwater.

While dozens of tourist boats sail through the area daily for snorkeling and diving activities, Sindbad Submarines says it deploys the region's "only real" recreational submarine.

The vessel had been operational in the area for multiple years, according to a source familiar with the company.

The Red Sea's coral reefs and islands off Egypt's eastern coast are major draws, contributing to the country's tourism sector, which employs two million people and generates more than 10 percent of GDP.

The area has been the site of several deadly accidents in recent years.

In November, a dive boat capsized off the coast of Marsa Alam, south of Hurghada, leaving four dead and seven missing.

Thirty people were rescued from another sinking boat, while last June two dozen French tourists were safely evacuated before their boat sank in a similar accident.

In 2023, three British tourists died after a fire broke out on their yacht, engulfing their vessel in flames.

S.Abdullah--SF-PST