Three individuals have been retrieved following the sinking of a tourist vessel in the Red Sea, according to a local official.
Rescue teams had been “amplifying their endeavors” to locate 16 individuals who remained unaccounted for – with two British citizens thought to be among them.
The Governor of the Red Sea region, Amr Hanafi, informed Reuters that three bodies have been discovered, while 13 others are still unlocated.
The 34-meter-long tourist craft, Sea Story, sank on Monday to the south of the Egyptian coastal town of Marsa Alam, carrying 44 passengers.
Among the foreign passengers were individuals from the UK, Ireland, the US, Germany, Poland, Belgium, Switzerland, Finland, China, Slovakia, and Spain.
The nationalities of the recovered bodies have yet to be disclosed.
Egyptian military forces, who are overseeing the operations, have previously rescued 28 individuals “in collaboration with a cruise ship that was in the vicinity”.
Naval forces are heightening their search efforts for the missing passengers and crew. Pic: Egyptian Armed Forces
Pic: Egyptian Armed Forces
According to eyewitness accounts, a “high sea wave” struck the ship, leading it to overturn within “about five to seven minutes,” as stated by Mr. Hanafi.
Several individuals were situated in the cabins, “which prevented them from exiting the vessel,” he elaborated in a Facebook post.
A spokesperson from the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office mentioned on Monday: “We are extending consular assistance to certain British citizens and their relatives in light of an incident occurring in Egypt and are in communication with the local authorities.”
The vessel had departed from Port Ghalib, located 40 miles (63km) north of Marsa Alam, on Sunday, aiming to arrive at its destination in Hurghada Marina on 29 November.
Authorities indicated that a distress signal was received at 5:30 a.m. local time on Monday.
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The Sea Story embarked on a five-day voyage on Sunday. Pic: Dive Pro Liveaboard
This tragedy follows a warning issued on Saturday by the Egyptian Meteorological Authority regarding rough weather and elevated wave conditions in the Red Sea.
The company managing the yacht, Dive Pro Liveaboard in Hurghada, stated that they possess no further details regarding the incident.
