Egyptian authorities announced on Monday that 28 people had been rescued and search operations were underway to find 17 other passengers, after a tourist boat sank off Egypt’s Red Sea coast. The luxury ship “Sea Story”, which carried “31 tourists of different nationalities as well as 14 crew members”began sending distress signals at 5:30 a.m. (4:30 a.m. Paris time), according to a statement from the Red Sea governorate.
This cruise ship specializing in diving left Port Ghalib, in southeastern Egypt, near the city of Marsa Alam, on Sunday for a multi-day expedition. He was then due to reach Hurghada, 200 kilometers further north on Friday November 29.
According to CBSsearch and rescue teams were immediately dispatched to the scene. Red Sea Governor Major General Amr Hanafi also said some of the survivors were flown to receive medical treatment, while the remaining survivors were rescued on rescue ships until the end. arrival of a military frigate. “Research continues actively in collaboration with the navy and the armed forces,” he said in a press release.
The cause of the accident and the nationalities of the victims have not been officially confirmed. But according to the Marsa Alam local council, quoted by the BBC, The crew of the Sea Story is composed entirely of Egyptians and the tourists on board are British, Spanish, German, American, Slovak, Swiss, Belgian, Polish, Norwegian, Irish, Finnish and Chinese. The Egyptian owner and operator of the Sea Story, Dive Pro Liveaboard, has so far declined to comment.
The Red Sea, one of the main tourist destinations in Egypt, attracts millions of visitors every year. The tourism sector, crucial for this country of 105 million inhabitants in the midst of an economic crisis, employs around two million people and contributes to more than 10% of its GDP.
Update : at 3:10 p.m., with more information about the ship’s passengers
Source: www.liberation.fr
