Six people, including two minors, lost their lives on Thursday when a tourist submarine carrying dozens of Russian visitors sank near a major resort town off Egypt’s Red Sea coast.
Egyptian state media reported six fatalities, while Russia’s General Consul, Viktor Voropaev, confirmed five deaths, including two minors.
According to Russia’s consulate in Hurghada, the vessel was carrying 45 tourists, including children, on an underwater excursion to observe coral reefs when it crashed approximately one kilometer from the shore around 10:00 AM local time (0800 GMT).
“Initial reports indicate that most passengers were rescued and taken to hotels and hospitals in Hurghada,” the consulate said, adding that diplomats had been dispatched to the scene.
State-owned Akhbar Al-Youm reported six deaths and said 29 people were rescued, nine of whom sustained injuries. Meanwhile, Russian news agency Ria Novosti, citing Egyptian emergency services, confirmed the deaths of five foreigners and one Egyptian.
Authorities have not yet issued an official statement on the incident.
The submarine, operated by Sindbad Submarines, was designed to carry 44 passengers and submerge up to 25 meters (82 feet), according to its website. Egyptian authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the accident.
Hurghada, located 460 kilometers (280 miles) southeast of Cairo, is a popular tourist destination, with its airport welcoming over nine million visitors last year. On Thursday, weather conditions were reported to be clear, with above-average winds but optimal underwater visibility.
The Red Sea’s coral reefs and islands are among Egypt’s top tourist attractions, supporting a vital tourism industry that employs two million people and contributes over 10% of the country’s GDP.
However, the region has seen multiple maritime accidents in recent years. In November, a dive boat capsized off Marsa Alam, south of Hurghada, leaving four dead and seven missing. In another incident, 30 people were rescued from a sinking boat, while last June, two dozen French tourists were safely evacuated before their vessel sank.
In 2023, a fire on a yacht killed three British tourists as flames engulfed their vessel.