One of Sindbad’s tourist submarines, not pictured here, sank off the coast of the Red Sea, killing six. Photo: Sindbad Submarines
At least six tourists are dead after a submarine sank in the Egyptian Red Sea. The vessel, which was carrying 45 tourists and five crew members, was owned by a company called Sindbad.
According to reports, the submarine sank a half mile off the Hurghada coastline at around 10 a.m. local time. The local government took to social media to say that 39 tourists were rescued. The tourists were from Russia, Norway, Sweden, and India (but all the tourists who died were reportedly Russian). One of the survivors told media outlets that water began “pouring in” as they sat down in their seats, because two of the hatches were left open. She went on to explain that it felt as though the submarine fell off “whatever it was holding on to.”
Reuters reported that the tourists were embarking on a tour to view the Red Sea’s marine life when the accident occurred. The sub was docked at a floating platform that the tourist group was taken out to by boat. Nine people were hurt, with four more in critical condition.
While details are sketchy, there are unconfirmed reports that say the submarine may have hit a reef and lost pressure, but this is a developing story.
The names of the victims haven’t been released at the time of this reporting, but a Russian official told the BBC that all of the victims were Russian.
