Egypt released footage on Wednesday showing tourists rescued from a boat that capsized off the Red Sea coast, resulting in at least four deaths.
Seven people are still missing more than two days after the incident, which occurred when the vessel “Sea Story” was struck by a wave and overturned in the early hours of the morning.
The boat, carrying 31 tourists—mostly Europeans and Chinese and US nationals—and a 13-member crew- had set off from Port Ghalib, near Marsa Alam, on Sunday for a multi-day diving trip.
A total of 33 people were rescued, including tourists shown in the video stepping off a speedboat wrapped in blankets at a marina near Marsa Alam.
One of the survivors in the video said, “We were shaking with cold.” These tourists had been trapped inside the overturned vessel for over 24 hours before being located by rescuers on Tuesday morning.
The military-led rescue team saved several individuals, including two Belgians, one Swiss, one Finnish, and one Egyptian. Two survivors were seen being carried out on stretchers, one of whom was conscious and speaking. A Belgian tourist broke down in tears when an Egyptian general greeted her.
Red Sea Governor Amr Hanafi stated that the boat capsized “suddenly and quickly” within five to seven minutes after being struck by a powerful wave, leaving some passengers unable to escape.
The Sea Story had been due to dock on Friday at Hurghada, around 200 kilometres from Marsa Alam. Authorities confirmed the vessel was fully licensed, had passed all inspections, and no technical faults were found.
Similar boat accidents occurred in the Marsa Alam area earlier this year, though without fatalities. The Red Sea is a popular tourist destination, with daily boat traffic and robust but unevenly enforced safety regulations.
