5 more people rescued after tourist yacht sank in Egypt’s Red Sea, 7 still missing
The Sea Story, carrying 31 tourists and 13 crew, was struck by high waves on Monday and sank in minutes
Egyptian naval forces rescued five people on Tuesday and recovered four bodies, a day after a tourist yacht carrying 44 passengers sank in the Red Sea coastal town of Marsa Alam, officials said, after facing rough weather.
This brings the total to 33 survivors, while seven remain missing.
Sea Story, a liveaboard used mainly for maritime activities, sent a distress signal after a large wave crashed into the boat, causing it to capsize, according to survivors’ accounts. Some passengers were inside the cabins when the boat overturned within minutes, according to statements.
A rescue operation, still ongoing, was ordered, and 28 people were rescued on Monday from the vessel.
On Tuesday, 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.
The boat carried 13 Egyptians, including crew members, and 31 foreign nationals from the United States, Germany, United Kingdom, Poland, Belgium, Switzerland, Finland, China, Slovakia, Spain, and Ireland.
