by Mick the Ram

A tourist yacht which capsized in the Red Sea has claimed the lives of at least four people, with seven others still missing.

There were 44 people on board (31 tourists of multiple nationalities and 13 crew members) when the boat – “named Sea Story” – left port for what should have been a five-day trip.

It has been reported that a huge wave smashed into the vessel causing it to sink within five to seven minutes, with twenty-eight people being picked up in a life raft after drifting for around eight hours.

Initially 16 could not be located, but more than 24 hours later five tourists were incredibly found alive, having been trapped in a part of the yacht that did not fill completely with water.

Sadly four bodies were retrieved from another part of the craft and the Egyptian Armed Forces are still searching for the remainder of those unaccounted for, a list that includes two Britons.

“Sea Story” passed its safety inspection in March of this year with no technical issues identified, allowing it to receive a one-year validity certificate.

Popular time of year for location

Egypt’s Red Sea coast attracts thousands of tourists each year as people take advantage of its clear waters, diving spots and rich marine life.

November is renowned as a good time to visit, with temperatures cooling down from the summer heat.

Yacht full of luxuries

The boat “Sea Story” is owned by an Egyptian national and was built in 2022, measuring 44m (144ft) in length.

It has four decks and 18 cabins – eight below deck, four on the main deck, two on the top deck, and four honeymoon suites. There is also a lounge and bar.

Weather warning

The yacht departed Port Ghalib near Marsa Alam on 24 November, for what should have been five days of exciting diving.

Around the time of its departure the Egyptian Meteorological Authority warned of high waves on the Red Sea and advised against maritime activity over a 24-hour period.

Early on the 25th the vessel sent a distress signal to the Red Sea Governorate Control Centre.

Shocked survivors given aid

The 28 who were fortunate enough to be picked up were taken back to Marsa Alam, as authorities began working with embassies to provide assistance and documentation for the shocked tourists.

It is a small town with a population of around 10,000, but is very much one of Egypt’s top tourist destinations, with its spectacular diving sites featuring some of the country’s most unspoilt reefs, located around 740km from the capital, Cairo.

Multi-national passenger list

A military-led team were elated to discover the five tourists stranded in the striken boat. These consisted of two Belgians, one Swiss national, one Finnish tourist and an Egyptian, bringing the number of survivors up to 33.

According to the governor’s office, the boat was carrying tourists from these countries as well as: Britain, China, Germany, Ireland, Poland, Slovakia, Spain and the United States.

None of the four bodies recovered later on Tuesday 26th have yet to be identified.

Tourism likely to take a hit

There was a similar event last year close by when a scuba diving boat caught fire and three Britons lost their lives.

This tragedy will further harm the tourism industry which supports one in twelve jobs in the Egypt.