A tourist ship, the Sea Story, has sunk in shark-infested waters with 45 people, including 31 tourists, missing, Egyptian media has reported.
Al-Masry Al-Youm reported that the diving trip departed from Porto Ghalib Port in Marsa Alam and was supposed to return to the port of Hurghada.
It’s unclear what caused the sinking, but local reports said that a helicopter and naval units were involved in the frantic search.
The boat is understood to have been taking around the coast for a scuba diving trip when it issued a distress signal, before losing contact.
According to Red Sea Governor Major General Amr Hanafy, several tourists have been saved, although he did not specify their nationalities.
The nationalities of those involved are not yet clear. It is understood that 14 crew members are also missing.
The Red Sea Governorate confirmed in a statement that initial information indicates that the ship sank in the Shaab Satayeh area, north of Marsa Alam city.
The governorate’s control center informed various authorities, including the Maritime Rescue Center, and search and rescue teams began their operations using a helicopter and a naval unit (the Al-Fateh frigate), which moved from Berenice Port towards the distress site. Search operations are ongoing.
According to liveaboard.com, there is a 144ft vessel called the Sea Story operating in the Red Sea.
It is described as “large enough to comfortably accommodate up to 32 passengers in 18 twin cabins, each of which comes equipped with air conditioning and an en-suite bathroom.”
It has four honeymoon suites available for couples.
On-board facilities include a separate lounge and restaurant area, which are air-conditioned.
The lounge features a bar, cooler, TV and music sound system, while the restaurant offers a more formal dining experience.
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