Minister of Communications Atef Helmy said 8 ground cables belonging to Telecom Egypt were cut off on Friday in Hurghada which affected calls and Internet connections. He pointed out that mobile networks and mobile internet services in the province were not affected by the incident.
The incident may be deliberate. Investigations are yet to be conducted, he said.
Helmy added that he had received calls from the Minister of Tourism and Chairman of the Red Sea Ports Authority due to the negative impact of the incident on tourism, transport and shipping in the governorate. Helmy said Telecom Egypt will fix the problem as soon as possible.
Phone lines and internet services in south Hurghada and the tourist center have been suspended since Friday, causing tourist companies to complain for not being able to receive booking requests and contact tourist groups.
A cable belonging to Telecom Egypt had been cut as well last Thursday evening in Malawi in the Minya governorate. This led to the full suspension of internet service in Minya, Assiut, Sohag, Qena, Luxor, and Aswan governorates. The recurrence of the incident raises questions whether it is an intended act of sabotage.
