Egypt tourist boat Sea Story sinks in Red Sea as alarm grows for Irish feared missing
According to local Egyptian media, Irish tourists were on board
Irish nationals are believed to be on board a tourist boat which sunk off the coast of Egypt with several passengers reported missing during a "five-day diving trip".
The boat, named Sea Story, is thought to have sunk close to a popular diving destination Shaab Satayah, off the coast of the tourist resort of Marsa Alam. It's understood that the captain was taking the divers around the coast when the vessel experienced an as yet unknown issue.
According to local media outlet Masrawy, the diving trip departed from Porto Ghalib Port in Marsa Alam on Sunday and was supposed to return to the port of Hurghada on November 29 with 45 people on board, including 14 Egyptian crew members. According to the website, the 31 tourists included four British and two American nationals.
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Egyptian authorities have now confirmed 28 people have been rescued as search operations continued for the 17 others still missing.
However, the nationalities of those missing and rescued remains unknown. Masrawy reports several nationalities were on the vessel, including tourists from Norway, Finland, Ireland and China. The outlet also reports five Spanish, two Belgian, two Swiss and four Egyptian holidaymakers also onboard.
It is not known what caused the four-deck, wooden-hulled 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.
At around 5.30am this morning, a member of crew raised the alarm and the coastguard was sent out to try track them down. According to the governor of Egypt’s Red Sea province, 45 people were reported missing after the vessel sank. It's unclear what caused the sinking, but local reports said that a helicopter and naval units were involved in the frantic search.
Shortly after the sinking, a search operation involving Egypt's navy got underway with a helicopter scouring the waves from above. Amr Hanafy, governor of the Red Sea region, said that search and rescue planes had been used to 16 people from the ocean before transporting them to local hospitals. The remainder were forced to stay at the boat's last-known position, awaiting the arrival of Al-Fateh, an Egyptian warship, to rescue them. Air and naval units were continuing to search for the missing, he added.
The governor did not provide an accurate toll on the number of the amount of fatalities, injuries and survivors. Hanafy told locals and foreigners to avoid the crash site as rescue workers comb the ocean for survivors. He added how local weather conditions have made it more difficult to conduct search operations in the area.
According to liveaboard.com, who book spaces on the vessel, the Sea Story is a 144ft-long liveaboard ship that sails around the Red Sea. It's said to be able to accommodate as many as 32 passengers in its 18 air-conditioned and en-suite twin rooms. Among the facilities on board are a fully-equipped restaurant, honeymoon suites, TV and sound system.
They offer several different trips, including the wrecks and "vibrant reeds" of the North Reefs, or the Deep South, which is best for "shark action and remote diving". Its site states that trips start at £126 per day. Sea Story is equipped with 2 tenders, making getting to and from the dive sites easy, and the attentive crew are always on hand. Nitrox breathing apparatus is also available for those certified.
The Red Sea has long been a popular tourist destination for diving and other marine enthusiasts, known for its coral reefs and marine life, which are key to Egypt's vital tourism industry.. But many tourist companies have stopped or limited traveling on the Red Sea due to the dangers from conflicts in the region.
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