A diver has revealed that survivors were “trapped inside the boat cabins” of the sunken Egyptian vessel in the Red Sea.
The Sea Story boat capsized with 44 people onboard early on Monday morning. 28 people were rescued on Monday, five people were rescued on Tuesday, and four bodies have been recovered.
According to diver Khattab al-Faramawy, the yacht is largely submerged with just half a metre poking above water.
“We dived 12m (40ft) under water – the survivors were trapped inside the boat cabins,” he told the BBC on Wednesday. It was a “complicated mission” as they had to “find our way into the darkness”.
One of the people Mr al-Faramaway rescued was his nephew, who got locked in one of the cabins while he was trying to save the passengers on board.
Seven people remain missing with the search efforts still underway. Two Britons who were on the boat are still unaccounted for, and it is not clear whether they are among the dead – who have not been identified – or are still missing.
The Foreign Office told The Independent that it is supporting “a number of British nationals and their families”.
Key points
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Survivors were ‘trapped inside cabins’, says rescue diver
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Probably not wave that caused capsize – oceanographer
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Watch: Red Sea yacht survivor speaks for first time after rescue
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Search enters third day for seven missing people
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Mapped: Where did the tourist yacht sink in the Red Sea?
UK Foreign Office reiterates previous statement
14:46 , Alex Croft
The UK’s Foreign Office says it is providing support to a “number of British nationals and their families” following an incident in Egypt.
After The Independent asked if there was any updated information on the status of two missing British nationals who are still unaccounted for, the FCDO reiterated its statement from yesterday with no new information.
The spokesperson said: “We are providing consular support to a number of British nationals and their families following an incident in Egypt and are in contact with the local authorities.”
Some reports have suggested the two Britons are among the seven people who remain missing. But the identities of the four bodies recovered by rescuers have not yet been confirmed, meaning it cannot yet be ruled out that the Britons are included.
Diver rescued his nephew from sunken yacht
14:16 , Alex Croft
Khattab al-Faramawy, the diver who revealed that survivors were pulled from their cabins where they had been trapped after the Sea Story vessel sunk, has shared more details of the rescue effort.
His 23-year-old nephew Youssef, a diving instructor, was among those that he rescued on Tuesday.
Youssef’s father, Hussam, broke down in tears after discovering his son was alive, and only told his son’s mother what was happening “after I realised that [Youssef] survived”.
“He was trying to save the passengers on board but got locked in one of the cabins,” Mr al-Faramawy (Hussam) told the BBC.
Youssef is being treated in a local hospital, the broadcaster reports.
Survivors were ‘trapped inside cabins’, says rescue diver
13:47 , Alex Croft
A diver who rescued survivors of the Sea Story yacht has revealed that some were “trapped inside the boat cabins” before being rescued.
The yacht is largely submerged, with less than half a metre of the boat still above water, Khattab al-Faramawy told the BBC.
“We dived 12m (40ft) under water – the survivors were trapped inside the boat cabins,” he said, adding that it was a “complicated mission” due to darkness.
“My heart goes out to the families of the dead, and I hope they will find all the missing passengers alive,” he added.
Watch: Rescuers help survivors of boat sunk off Red Sea coast as four Britons feared missing
13:20 , Alex Croft
Watch as rescuers help Egyptian yacht survivors after the Sea Story boat sank off the Red Sea coast.
Four Britons are among dozens of people feared missing after a tourist yacht sank off the coast of Egypt on Monday (25 November).
The boat sank off the south of the Egyptian coastal town of Marsa Alam with 31 tourists of various nationalities on board along with 14 crew members.
A surviving crew member said the boat was “hit by a wave in the middle of the night, throwing the vessel on its side”.
Follow this link for the full story
Capsized vessel had enough escape rafts for 50 people
12:57 , Alex Croft
The capsized Sea Story vessel had enough “safety rafts” for everyone on board the boat, its specifications show.
On the Dive Pro Liveaboard website, the company which owns and operates the boat, Sea Story is listed with “two safety rafts for 25 persons each”. There were 44 people on board the boat, but it is unclear whether the rafts were used.
But according to Red Sea regional governor Amr Hanafi, some people were stuck in their cabins when a huge wave struck the boat and it began to capsize.
The website says that each cabin had life jackets inside.
The four-deck boat has 18 twin cabins, a lounge, and a bar. It is 44 meters long and 9 meters wide, the specifications add.
Around 56 hours in, the search continues for seven missing people
12:33 , Alex Croft
Around 56 hours since the Sea Story vessel capsized in the Red Sea, the search for seven people missing on the tourist yacht continues.
The governor of the Red Sea region, Amr Hanafy, said rescuers were still searching for the missing people after a total of 33 people were rescued.
The Sea Story was carrying 44 people, including 31 foreign nationals from the UK, the US, Germany, Poland, Belgium, Switzerland, Finland, China, Slovakia, Spain and Ireland, when it was struck by a large wave.
The governor said he visited the site where the vessel sank and said those rescued were airlifted to receive medical treatment.
Those who survived suffered only bruises and abrasions and were taken to a hotel in Marsa Alam in good condition.
What caused the yacht to sink?
12:10 , Alex Croft
It was not immediately clear what caused the four-deck motor yacht to sink after it departed from the Egyptian coastal town of Marsa Alam on Monday.
The Egyptian Meteorological Authority on Saturday warned about rough weather and large waves, advising against maritime activity for Sunday and Monday on the Red Sea.
A surviving crew member also said the boat was “hit by a wave in the middle of the night, throwing the vessel on its side”.
Other survivors said a “high sea wave” hit the vessel and caused it to capsize in “about five or seven minutes”, according to the governor of the Red Sea region Amr Hanafi.
But an oceaonographer has cast doubt on whether this is what caused the vessel to sink, suggesting the wind conditions would not have been severe enough to produce a wave capable of capsizing a yacht.
Speaking to Sky News, Simon Boxall called for an investigation into the incident.
Watch: Egypt tourist yacht survivors gather after boat sinks
11:46 , Alex Croft
Passengers who survived after a tourist yacht sank in the Red Sea off Egypt gathered at a coffee shop after they were rescued on Monday, 25 November.
Three bodies have been recovered from the vessel, Red Sea Governor Amr Hanafi told Reuters on Tuesday.
Two Britons were among the 16 people initially reported missing after a massive rescue operation saved 28 people from the imperilled vessel which was hit by a “huge wave” and sank on Monday.
The identities of the people whose bodies have been recovered have not been confirmed.
Follow this link for the full story
What is the timescale of the Red Sea boat disaster?
11:21 , Alex Croft
On Saturday, the Egyptian Meteorological Authority forecast high seas on the Red Sea, with 40mph winds and 12-foot waves, and advised against maritime activity for Sunday and Monday.
On Sunday, Sea Story left Port Ghalib, just north of the resort of Marsa Alam, on a routine five-day voyage. On board: 13 crew and 31 divers.
Early on Monday morning the vessel capsized after being struck by a large wave, according to the accounts of survivors. The crew managed to send out a distress call at around 5:30am, and 28 of the people on board were rescued that day.
Search efforts continued into the evening on Monday, before they resumed on Tuesday morning.
On Tuesday, Egyptian authorities recovered four bodies and rescued five people, bringing the total up to 33.
Going into the third day, seven people remain missing and there has not yet been any update.
Pictured: How the rescue unfolded
10:54 , Alex Croft
Egypt tourist boat: Everything we know about the incident in the Red Sea
10:22 , Alex Croft
Two Britons are among the missing after a dive boat was hit by a “huge wave” and capsized off the Red Sea coast of Egypt on Monday 25 November.
In a rescue operation, 28 people were saved from the Sea Story before she sank, according to the governor of the Red Sea region, Amr Hanafi.
These are the key questions and answers.
The Independent’s Travel Correspondent Simon Calder reports:
Egypt tourist boat: Everything we know about the incident in the Red Sea
Is the Red Sea a dangerous part of the world for shipping?
10:00 , Alex Croft
Not especially – except for military activity by the Yemeni Houthi rebels in the past year – but there can be some intense thunderstorms.
The worst maritime disaster in the Red Sea occurred in 2006, when a ferry from Duba in Saudi Arabia to Safaga in Egypt sank after a fire on board and subsequent efforts to extinguish it. Around 1,000 passengers lost their lives, with bad weather thought to have contributed to the appallingly high death toll.
The Foreign Office warns: “Overcrowding and poor safety standards have caused accidents on Red Sea ferries and Nile cruises.”
In June 2023 three British tourists died in a fire aboard another dive boat, Hurricane, close to where the Sea Story sank.
Five rescued in Egypt 24 hours after Red Sea boat disaster – but two Britons unaccounted for
09:36 , Alex Croft
Four bodies were recovered and five survivors rescued from the water 24 hours after a yacht sank in the Red Sea when it got caught in rough weather.
The number of survivors now stands at 33 – including 28 who were rescued on Monday – with seven people still missing amid a major search operation led by Egyptian naval forces.
Two Brits among the 16 people originally missing on Monday have not yet been accounted for.
Sea Story, a live-aboard boat which was carrying 44 people on a five-day diving trip, sent a distress signal after a large wave crashed into the boat and caused it to capsize, according to survivors’ accounts of what happened.
Read yesterday’s full report:
Five rescued in Egypt 24 hours after Red Sea boat sinking but 2 Brits still missing
Reason for capsize was ‘probably not a wave’, says oceanographer
09:15 , Alex Croft
An oceanographer has cast doubt on the claim that a huge wage caused the Sea Story ship to sink, saying the wind conditions weren’t strong enough.
“We are getting the same story coming out, mainly from the governor of the region, saying a ‘huge wave’ hit the ship,” he told Sky News.
“There’s no evidence of that. The Egyptian Met Office did issue a storm warning, but that was for the Red Sea and the Mediterranean generally.”
The wind conditions for the region around Marsa Alarm “weren’t that strong” and “wouldn’t create these alleged three- to four-metre waves”, he added.
“I still feel that this is probably not a wave that caused the capsize. We need to see an investigation coming out of this. It’s still early days, but the information coming out from the Egyptian authorities is still very sparse.
“We don’t know where the vessel is, we don’t know, is it sunk? What depth of water is it in? The information is being filtered by the Egyptian authorities, there’s been no direct statements from people from the boat itself, it’s all been through the authorities.”
Everything we know so far
08:53 , Alex Croft
Here’s all you need to know about the boat which capsized in the Red Sea on Monday:
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Sea Story, an Egyptian-owned boat, had set sail from Porto Ghalib on a five-day diving trip, carrying 31 tourists and 13 crew.
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This was despite warnings by the Egyptian Meteorological Authority on Saturday, advising against maritime activity on Sunday and Monday.
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At 5:30am on Monday, the ship sent out a distress signal, sparking a major rescue effort led by an Egyptian navy warship El Fateh and military aircraft.
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Survivors report that the boat was hit by a huge wave. Wave heights of 3-4 meters (10-13 feet) and wind speeds of 34 knots were reported in the area on Sunday by the Egyptian Red Sea Ports Authority.
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The boat capsized within five to seven minutes. Some people were reportedly in their cabins at the time the wave hit. It sank off the popular tourist destination of Marsa Alam.
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By the end of Monday, 28 people had been rescued and 16 people remained missing, including two Brits. Tourists on the boat included nationals from the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Poland, Belgium, Switzerland, Finland, China, Slovakia, Spain and Ireland.
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A technical defect on the boat was ruled out by the Red Sea region’s governor, Amr Hanafi, who said all the necessary safety permits had been obtained.
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Embassies from around the world confirmed on Monday that they were offering consular assistance following the incident.
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On Tuesday, four bodies were recovered and five more people were rescued, bringing the total of survivors to 33.
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As of Wednesday morning, the search for seven remaining missing people goes on.
Sun rises on a third day of major search
08:29 , Alex Croft
Seven people are still missing out at sea after the Sea Story vessel capsized on Monday.
The sun has now risen on the third day of the major search, led by Egyptian naval forces, in which 33 people have been rescued and four bodies have been recovered.
The picture below was taken from the beach where survivors of the boat were brought to safety on Monday.
Watch: Red Sea yacht survivor speaks for first time after rescue
07:55 , Holly Patrick
A survivor of the Egypt tourist yacht that sank in the Red Sea off Egypt on Monday (26 November) thanked his rescuers in an emotional exchange on Tuesday.
The Belgian tourist told officials “It’s very nice to be back” as five people were rescued alive, bringing the total number of survivors to 33.
“I really appreciate [the rescue efforts of the Egyptian military],” he added, before thanking them for his welcome onboard and the warm shower he was given after he had been “shaking with cold”.
See the full story:
Egypt tourist yacht survivor’s first words as five more rescued after boat sinks
Mapped: Where did the yacht sink?
07:01 , Jabed Ahmed
Poland and Germany say their nationals missing
06:30 , Shweta Sharma
The Polish foreign ministry said two Polish nationals, a man and a woman, are still missing in the Egypt boat tragedy.
Addressing reporters, spokesperson Paweł Wroński said the families of those missing have been notified.
Meanwhile, the German foreign ministry said yesterday that three Germans remain missing while three others have been rescued.
Pictured: Sea Story vessel
06:00 , Jabed Ahmed
The 144-foot two-engine Sea Story vessel was built in 2022 and is registered in Safaga, Egypt, according to the boat’s owner.
Owned by tourist company Dive pro Liveaboard, the boat has space for 36 passengers and 12 crew members including a captain, cooks, waiters and sailors.
At the time it sank, it was carrying 44 people. This included 31 tourists and 13 crew members, according to the Red Sea governornate.
It carried safety jackets in each cabin and two 25-person safety rafts, according to Dive pro Liveaboard’s website.
Egypt tourist yacht survivors gather after boat sinks
05:39 , Shweta Sharma
Sea Story yacht reported no technical issues
05:00 , Shweta Sharma
Egyptian officials have said that the yacht that sank into the Red Sea passed its last safety inspection in March with no technical issues reported.
The vessel owned by an Egyptian national had a one-year validity certificate in March 2024 when it was inspected by maritime safety, the Red Sea governorate said.
It was 34 metres long and built in 2022 to hold 36 passengers.
It was not immediately clear what caused the four-deck, wooden-hulled motorized yacht to sink.
However, the Egyptian Red Sea Ports Authority reported that there were wave heights of 10-13 feet and wind speeds of 34 knots in the area on Sunday. It cited rescued crew members and tourists.
UK giving support to ‘a number of British nationals’
04:30 , Shweta Sharma
Two Britons are among those missing after a tourist yacht sank in the Red Sea off Egypt.
Consular support is being provided to “a number of British nationals and their families” after the vessel capsized south of the coastal town of Marsa Alam, the UK Foreign Office said.
The Sea Story was carrying 44 people, including 31 foreign nationals from the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Poland, Belgium, Switzerland, Finland, China, Slovakia, Spain and Ireland.
Five people were found alive on Tuesday, adding to a total of 33 people rescued from the boat, but British nationals were not part of the cohort that was found.
The governor of the Red Sea region, Amr Hanafi, said the five survivors were two Belgians, an Egyptian, a Swiss citizen, and a Finnish national. He also said the four bodies are yet to be identified.
Ireland’s government has confirmed that the Irish citizen who was onboard is “OK”.
Foreign Affairs minister Micheal Martin provided the update to reporters in Dublin on Tuesday morning.
“My understanding is that Irish citizen is OK and receiving consular assistance from the Department of Foreign Affairs,” he said.
Chinese and Polish nationals declared safe
04:00 , Jabed Ahmed
The Chinese embassy in Egypt said Monday two of its nationals were “in good health” after being “rescued in the cruise ship sinking accident in the Red Sea”, Chinese state media reported.
Pawel Wronski, the Polish foreign ministry spokesman, said authorities “have information that two of the tourists may have had Polish citizenship”.
“That’s all we know about them. That’s all we can say for now,” he said. The Finnish foreign ministry confirmed one of its nationals is missing.
Search continues for seven missing people
03:29 , Shweta Sharma
A search for seven people missing on the tourist yacht continues for the third day after it capsized in less than seven minutes on Monday into the Red Sea.
The governor of the Red Sea region, Amr Hanafy, said rescuers were still searching for the missing people after a total of 33 people were rescued.
The Sea Story was carrying 44 people, including 31 foreign nationals from the UK, the US, Germany, Poland, Belgium, Switzerland, Finland, China, Slovakia, Spain and Ireland, when it was struck by a large wave.
The governor said he visited the site where the vessel sank and said those rescued were airlifted to receive medical treatment.
Those who survived suffered only bruises and abrasions and were taken to a hotel in Marsa Alam in good condition.
02:00 , Jabed Ahmed
What caused the yacht to sink?
00:21 , Jabed Ahmed
It was not immediately clear what caused the four-deck motor yacht to sink after it departed from the Egyptian coastal town of Marsa Alam on Monday.
The Egyptian Meteorological Authority on Saturday warned about rough weather and large waves, advising against maritime activity for Sunday and Monday on the Red Sea.
A surviving crew member also said the boat was “hit by a wave in the middle of the night, throwing the vessel on its side”.
Other survivors said a “high sea wave” hit the vessel and caused it to capsize in “about five or seven minutes”, according to the governor of the Red Sea region Amr Hanafi.
Watch: Egypt tourist yacht survivors gather after boat sinks
Tuesday 26 November 2024 23:29 , Jabed Ahmed
Capsized vessel had enough escape rafts for 50 people
Tuesday 26 November 2024 22:31 , Jabed Ahmed
The capsized Sea Story vessel had enough “safety rafts” for everyone on board the boat, its specifications show.
On the Dive Pro Liveaboard website, the company which owns and operates the boat, Sea Story is listed with “two safety rafts for 25 persons each”. There were 44 people on board the boat.
But according to Red Sea regional governor Amr Hanafi, some people were stuck in their cabins when a huge wave struck the boat and it began to capsize.
The website says that each cabin had life jackets inside.
The four-deck boat has 18 twin cabins, a lounge, and a bar. It is 44 meters long and 9 meters wide, the specifications add.
What is the best advice for someone considering a dive holiday in Egypt?
Tuesday 26 November 2024 21:29 , Jabed Ahmed
Egypt has a much higher risk level than the UK, so the whole journey should be considered. The Foreign Office says: “[Road accidents are common because of poor road conditions, dangerous driving and poor traffic law enforcement.
“Serious bus crashes in recent years have caused many deaths, including tourists.
“There have also been fatal train collisions and derailments.”
The best protection is afforded by booking a proper package (flights, accommodation and activities) through a UK operator, who do all they can to ensure it is a safe experience. But ultimately safety standards are not up to British standards.
Is the Red Sea a dangerous part of the world for shipping?
Tuesday 26 November 2024 20:31 , Jabed Ahmed
Not especially – except for Houthi activity – but there can be some intense thunderstorms.
The worst maritime disaster in the Red Sea occurred in 2006, when a ferry from Duba in Saudi Arabia to Safaga in Egypt sank after a fire on board and subsequent efforts to extinguish it. Around 1,000 passengers lost their lives, with bad weather thought to have contributed to the appallingly high death toll.
The Foreign Office warns: “Overcrowding and poor safety standards have caused accidents on Red Sea ferries and Nile cruises.”
In June 2023 three British tourists died in a fire aboard another dive boat, Hurricane, close to the spot Sea Story sank.
Boat tragedy echoes similar incident in June 2023
Tuesday 26 November 2024 19:27 , Jabed Ahmed
The sinking of a diving boat in the Red Sea off the coast of Egypt has shocked the region and many across the world.
Three bodies have now been recovered, with 13 people still lost at sea as rescue efforts continue.
It is not the first such incident on a diving boat in the Red Sea. in June 2023, three British tourists died after a diving boat burst into flames.
They were part of a group of 15 qualified divers. The remaining 12 divers and 13 crew members evacuated the vessel.
Here is our report from last June:
Three British tourists confirmed dead after diving boat fire in Egypt
What was the timescale?
Tuesday 26 November 2024 18:29 , Jabed Ahmed
On Saturday, the Egyptian Meteorological Authority forecast high seas on the Red Sea, with 40mph winds and 12-foot waves, and advised against maritime activity for Sunday and Monday.
On Sunday Sea Story left Port Ghalib, just north of the resort of Marsa Alam, on a routine five-day voyage. On board: 13 crew and 31 divers.
Early on Monday morning the vessel capsized after being struck by a large wave, according to the accounts of survivors. The crew managed to send out a distress call, and 28 of the people on board were rescued.
What was this vessel doing and what do we know about the boat?
Tuesday 26 November 2024 17:32 , Jabed Ahmed
Sea Story was a liveaboard diving boat, based near the Red Sea port of Marsa Alam. She is one of dozens of similar vessels that take divers out to some of the most exciting underwater locations on the planet – with reefs, wrecks and colourful fish.
For a week’s voyage with the dive operator, Dive Pro Liveaboard, you would pay €1,220 (just over £1,000) and enjoy three or four dives per day.
Sea Story was kitted out with 16 double cabins, so room for 32 divers, and a usual crew of 12 – eight seafarers and four kitchen staff. She was very modern, built in 2022. The operator, Dive Pro Liveaboard, says it is “locally owned and operating from the heart of Hurghada” – a Red Sea resort popular with British travellers.
The Red Sea governorate said the boat had passed a safety inspection in March 2024.
Mapped: Where did the yacht sink?
Tuesday 26 November 2024 16:30 , Jabed Ahmed
Pictured: Sea Story vessel
Tuesday 26 November 2024 15:43 , Alex Croft
The 144-foot two-engine Sea Story vessel was built in 2022 and is registered in Safaga, Egypt, according to the boat’s owner.
Owned by tourist company Dive pro Liveaboard, the boat has space for 36 passengers and 12 crew members including a captain, cooks, waiters and sailors.
At the time it sank, it was carrying 44 people. This included 31 tourists and 13 crew members, according to the Red Sea governornate.
It carried safety jackets in each cabin and two 25-person safety rafts, according to Dive pro Liveaboard’s website.
In pictures: Rescue workers bring survivors to safety
Tuesday 26 November 2024 15:21 , Alex Croft
Yacht operation company ‘has no information on matter’
Tuesday 26 November 2024 14:57 , Alex Croft
The yacht was operated by Dive Pro Liveaboard, which is based in the Egyptian resort of Hurghada.
The company previously said it has no information on the matter, and has not provided any comment on the rescue operation on Tuesday.
Watch: Egypt tourist yacht survivors gather after boat sinks
Tuesday 26 November 2024 14:35 , Alex Croft
Breaking: Fifth survivor of the day rescued
Tuesday 26 November 2024 14:16 , Alex Croft
The fifth survivor of the day – a Finnish national – has now been rescued by Egyptian authorities.
It brings the total number of survivors up to 33, with four people confirmed dead and seven people missing.
Earlier today, four people were rescued and four bodies were recovered. On Monday, 28 people were rescued after the boat capsized.
Irish foreign minister says citizen onboard yacht is ‘OK’ – reports
Tuesday 26 November 2024 13:52 , Alex Croft
An Irish citizen who was on board a tourist yacht which sank in the Red Sea off Egypt yesterday is safe, Irish media cited foreign minister Micheál Martin as saying.
“My understanding is that Irish citizen is OK and receiving consular assistance from the Department of Foreign Affairs,” Mr Martin told reporters in Dublin on Tuesday morning, according to RTE.
Breaking: Another survivor found
Tuesday 26 November 2024 13:41 , Alex Croft
Another survivor has been found alive and rescued as the major search and rescue operation continues.
This brings the number of survivors up to 32, with four people confirmed dead and eight people still missing.
It comes after three people were found alive earlier today and four bodies were recovered.
Chinese and Polish nationals declared safe
Tuesday 26 November 2024 13:23 , Alex Croft
The Chinese embassy in Egypt said Monday two of its nationals were “in good health” after being “rescued in the cruise ship sinking accident in the Red Sea”, Chinese state media reported.
Pawel Wronski, the Polish foreign ministry spokesman, said authorities “have information that two of the tourists may have had Polish citizenship”.
“That’s all we know about them. That’s all we can say for now,” he said. The Finnish foreign ministry confirmed one of its nationals is missing.
In pictures: Yachts docked and beaches closed amid poor sea conditions
Tuesday 26 November 2024 13:02 , Alex Croft
Three found alive and four bodies recovered
Tuesday 26 November 2024 12:53 , Alex Croft
Four bodies were recovered on Tuesday and rescue teams were still searching for nine missing people, the Red Sea Governorate said in a statement.
Provincial governor Amr Hanafi said rescue teams had found three people alive – two Belgian tourists and an Egyptian – bringing the total number of survivors to 31.
Survivors all escaped major injuries
Tuesday 26 November 2024 12:43 , Alex Croft
All 28 survivors of the Sea Story yacht, which capsized on Monday, were rescued with only minor injuries.
None of the survivors required hospitalisation, authorities reported.
They are now being accommodated in a hotel in Marsa Alam, where they are being given consular assistance by their embassies.
Egypt tourist boat: Everything we know about the incident in the Red Sea
Tuesday 26 November 2024 12:22 , Simon Calder, Travel Correspondent
Two Brits are among either three bodies found or 13 people missing after a dive boat was hit by a “huge wave” and capsized off the Red Sea coast of Egypt on Monday 25 November.
In a rescue operation, 28 people were saved from the Sea Story before she sank, according to the governor of the Red Sea region, Amr Hanafi.
These are the key questions and answers.
What was this vessel doing?
Sea Story was a liveaboard diving boat, based near the Red Sea port of Marsa Alam. She is one of dozens of similar vessels that take divers out to some of the most exciting underwater locations on the planet – with reefs, wrecks and colourful fish.
For a week’s voyage with the dive operator, Dive Pro Liveaboard, you would pay €1,220 (just over £1,000) and enjoy three or four dives per day.
The Independent’s travel correspondent Simon Calder reports:
Egypt tourist boat: Everything we know about the incident in the Red Sea
When was the distress call made?
Tuesday 26 November 2024 12:01 , Alex Croft
A distress call was received at 5.30am from the boat, which had departed from Porto Ghalib in Marsa Alam on Sunday with plans to return to Hurghada Marina on 29 November.
Egyptian armed forces frigates and aircraft swept the area in search of the missing, but by 5pm the search had been paused for the night, a government source told Reuters on Monday.
Red Sea governor Amr Hanafi said that Egypt is collaborating with embassies, consulates, and relevant authorities to facilitate documentation for the rescued passengers, who are staying at a hotel in Marsa Alam, and to ensure their needs are met.
Boat tragedy echoes similar incident in June 2023
Tuesday 26 November 2024 11:39 , Alex Croft
The sinking of a diving boat in the Red Sea off the coast of Egypt has shocked the region and many across the world.
Three bodies have now been recovered, with 13 people still lost at sea as rescue efforts continue.
It is not the first such incident on a diving boat in the Red Sea. in June 2023, three British tourists died after a diving boat burst into flames.
They were part of a group of 15 qualified divers. The remaining 12 divers and 13 crew members evacuated the vessel.
Here is our report from last June:
Three British tourists confirmed dead after diving boat fire in Egypt
Capsized vessel had enough escape rafts for 50 people
Tuesday 26 November 2024 11:17 , Alex Croft
The capsized Sea Story vessel had enough “safety rafts” for everyone on board the boat, its specifications show.
On the Dive Pro Liveaboard website, the company which owns and operates the boat, Sea Story is listed with “two safety rafts for 25 persons each”. There were 44 people on board the boat.
But according to Red Sea regional governor Amr Hanafi, some people were stuck in their cabins when a huge wave struck the boat and it began to capsize.
The website says that each cabin had life jackets inside.
The four-deck boat has 18 twin cabins, a lounge, and a bar. It is 44 meters long and 9 meters wide, the specifications add.
Everything we know so far
Tuesday 26 November 2024 10:58 , Alex Croft
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Sea Story, an Egyptian-owned boat, had set sail on a five-day scuba diving trip, carrying 31 tourists and 13 crew.
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This was despite warnings by the Egyptian Meteorological Authority on Saturday, advising against maritime activity on Sunday and Monday.
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Survivors report that the boat was hit by a huge wave on Monday. Wave heights of 3-4 meters (10-13 feet) and wind speeds of 34 knots were reported in the area on Sunday by the Egyptian Red Sea Ports Authority.
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The boat capsized within a five to seven minutes, sparking a major rescue effort led by an Egyptian navy warship El Fateh and military aircraft. Some people were reportedly in their cabins at the time.
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The boat sunk off the popular tourist destination of Marsa Alam.
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28 people were rescued, but on Monday night 16 people remained missing, including two Brits. Tourists on the boat included nationals from the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Poland, Belgium, Switzerland, Finland, China, Slovakia, Spain and Ireland.
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A technical defect on the boat was ruled out by the Red Sea region’s governor, Amr Hanafi, who said all the necessary safety permits had been obtained.
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Embassies from around the world confirmed on Monday that they were offering consular assistance following the incident.
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On Tuesday morning, it was reported that three bodies have been recovered. No details about the recovered bodies have been released.
Mapped: Where did the tourist yacht sink in the Red Sea?
Tuesday 26 November 2024 10:37 , Alex Croft
Survivors accommodated in hotel
Tuesday 26 November 2024 10:17 , Alex Croft
Survivors of the sunken boat were being accommodated in a hotel in Marsa Alam on Monday, Reuters reported.
Authorites are working with embassies and consulates as they provide assistance and documentation to the survivors.
Breaking: Three bodies recovered from capsized boat
Tuesday 26 November 2024 09:37 , Alex Croft
Three bodies have been recovered from the capsized tourist boat off Egypt’s Red Sea coast, the governor of the region has announced.
Thirteen people remain missing, Red Sea Governor Amr Hanafi told Reuters on Tuesday.
We will bring you more detail as it comes.
In pictures: Medics await possible survivors
Tuesday 26 November 2024 09:25 , Alex Croft
Watch: Egypt tourist yacht survivors gather after boat sinks
Tuesday 26 November 2024 09:09 , Alex Croft
Ireland providing consular assistance to Irish nationals
Tuesday 26 November 2024 08:48 , Alex Croft
Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs has released a statement after a vessel – which was holding Irish nationals – capsized in the Red Sea.
The department said it was “aware of this incident and is providing consular assistance”.
No further detail was provided.
What caused the yacht to sink?
Tuesday 26 November 2024 08:33 , Alex Croft
It was not immediately clear what caused the four-deck motor yacht to sink after it departed from the Egyptian coastal town of Marsa Alam on Monday.
The Egyptian Meteorological Authority on Saturday warned about rough weather and large waves, advising against maritime activity for Sunday and Monday on the Red Sea.
A surviving crew member also said the boat was “hit by a wave in the middle of the night, throwing the vessel on its side”.
Other survivors said a “high sea wave” hit the vessel and caused it to capsize in “about five or seven minutes”, according to the governor of the Red Sea region Amr Hanafi.
Pictures: Rescued tourists after yacht sinking
Tuesday 26 November 2024 08:00 , Namita Singh
Watch: Rescuers help survivors of boat sunk off Red Sea coast
Tuesday 26 November 2024 07:45 , Alex Croft
What we still don’t know about the yacht sinking
Tuesday 26 November 2024 07:30 , Namita Singh
At least 16 people are missing after a tourist yacht sank in the Red Sea amidst warnings of rough weather, according to Egyptian officials. The vessel, named Sea Story, was carrying 44 people, including 31 foreign nationals and 13 Egyptians, some of whom were crew members.
Over 24 hours since the distress call, authorities have yet to disclose the identities of the 16 missing individuals. Apart from confirming the presence of two Britons and four Egyptians among them, no additional details regarding the names, ages, or nationalities of the victims have been released. So far, there has also been no confirmation of fatalities.
The international passengers hailed from countries including the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Poland, Belgium, Switzerland, Finland, China, Slovakia, Spain, and Ireland.
Rescuers are continuing their search for the missing, which includes four Egyptians and 12 foreigners.
The survivors mostly escaped with only bruises and abrasions, have been moved to a hotel in Marsa Alam and are reported to be in good condition, according to Amr Hanafy, governor of the Red Sea region.
Preliminary reports suggest the yacht capsized after being struck by a large wave. Statements from crew members and passengers indicate that the incident unfolded within minutes, with some passengers still inside the cabins when the wave hit. Officials have confirmed that the boat had no technical issues, was fully compliant with safety regulations, and had passed a naval safety inspection in March.
Yacht was carrying 31 foreigners
Tuesday 26 November 2024 07:00 , Alexander Butler
Amr Hanafi, governor of the Red Sea region, said the yacht was carrying 44 people. It has capacity for 48 people, according to its website.
This included 31 foreign nationals from the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Poland, Belgium, Switzerland, Finland, China, Slovakia, Spain and Ireland.
