HURGHADA, EGYPT — A tourist submarine has sunk off the Red Sea resort city of Hurghada, Egypt, resulting in the deaths of four people, according to a statement released by the Russian embassy in Egypt.
While the nationalities of the deceased have not been definitively confirmed, the embassy indicated that the submarine was carrying 45 Russian tourists.
Earlier reports from Egyptian local media, citing the Hurghada governorate office, stated that six foreign nationals had died in the incident.
The incident occurred at approximately 10:00 a.m. local time on Thursday, when the submarine, identified as the Sindbad, “crashed at a distance of 1 km from the shore,” the Russian embassy reported.
Passengers aboard the submarine included minors, though it remains unclear whether they were among the fatalities. The vessel was conducting a routine underwater excursion to view the coral reef, the embassy stated.
“According to initial data, most of those on board were rescued and taken to their hotels and hospitals in Hurghada,” the embassy said, adding that “the fate of several tourists is being clarified.” The embassy also noted that “Diplomats from the Consulate General are on the pier of the Sindbad Hotel.”
CNN has reached out to the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities for comment.
The Sindbad Submarines website describes its operation as having an “expert team” with “years of experience,” and states that its submarines are “engineered in Finland to sustain underwater pressure up to 75m, ensuring safety and reliability.” The company’s safety features include “oxygen masks located overhead and life vests under the seats.”
Sindbad Submarines operates two “recreational submarines,” each capable of carrying 44 passengers and two pilots, and equipped with “sizable round viewing windows.” The vessels can reach depths of 25 meters for 40 minutes, allowing passengers to explore “500 meters of coral reef and its marine inhabitant.” The submarines also feature “spacious air-conditioned cabins” with “comfortable seats and personal TV monitors.”
This incident follows a previous maritime accident in November, where at least 16 people went missing after a tourist yacht sank in the Red Sea amidst rough sea warnings. The cause of that sinking, involving a four-deck, wooden-hulled motor yacht, remains unclear.
Egypt’s tourism industry is a vital component of its economy.
