The tourist submarine Sindbad, carrying 50 people including 45 tourists of various nationalities (notably Russians, Indians, Norwegians, and Swedes) and 5 Egyptian crew, sank off the coast of Hurghada, the Red Sea Governorate’s operations room confirmed.
The ambulance operations room and relevant authorities were notified. 21 ambulances rushed to the scene, and rescue operations began swiftly.
Most passengers were rescued, but the incident resulted in 6 fatalities, all of whom were Russian tourists. 23 injured individuals were transferred to hospitals, while the remaining survivors returned to their hotels after their health conditions were confirmed stable.
The injuries ranged from cuts, bruises, and abrasions to shortness of breath, while 4 cases are in intensive care due to the severity of their injuries.
The Sindbad submarine is one of the most popular sea excursions in Hurghada, taking passengers on a trip to view coral reefs and marine life at a depth of 25 meters below the water’s surface, with the trip lasting for two hours.
The Russian Consulate in Hurghada issued a statement confirming that most of the submarine’s passengers were Russian tourists affiliated with the Biblio Globus tourism company, and that most of them were rescued and are now in their hotels or hospitals receiving the necessary care.
Investigations are still underway to determine the real causes of the accident, amidst questions about the technical reasons behind it and whether there was negligence or a technical malfunction that led to this tragedy.
