At least 16 people are missing after an Egyptian yacht carrying international tourists sank in the Red Sea on Monday.
There were 44 people on board, including 13 crew members and 31 tourists. sea story The ship sank near the resort town of Marsa Alam in southeastern Egypt. The ship was carrying tourists going on a multi-day diving trip.
Egyptian media outlet Al Dostoor reported that two American tourists were on board, but it is unclear whether they are among the missing. Authorities were alerted to the incident around 5:30 a.m. Monday.
“immediately, [authorities] “The naval base and military were alerted, where a search and rescue team launched an operation using helicopters and marines, moving from Bernice Harbor towards the rescue scene,” the Red Sea Prefecture said in a Facebook post.
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More than a dozen people are missing after the Umi Monogatari ship sank near Marsa Alam on Monday. (Getty Images)
” [Egyptian] The control center and operation room continue to coordinate and follow up around the clock to ensure that all necessary measures are taken and the situation is reassuring. ”
The search continues, but the death toll has not been officially announced.
Egyptian authorities said 28 people had been rescued. Minor injuries such as scrapes and bruises were reported among the group, but none of the victims were hospitalized.
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Rescue workers wait for survivors on the beach after a boat sinks in the port of Marsa Alam. Egyptian authorities said on Monday that a tourist boat carrying 45 people capsized in the Red Sea, leaving more than a dozen people missing. (Stringer/Photo Alliance, via Getty Images)
The missing persons include 12 foreigners. The ship was carrying nationals of the United States, Belgium, Spain and Germany, as well as the United Kingdom, China, Finland, Ireland, Poland, Slovakia and Switzerland.
The cause of the sinking has not been determined, but authorities believe it was capsized by a huge wave. The ship sank within 5-7 minutes.
“Some of the passengers were unable to escape because they were in their cabins,” Red Sea Governor Amr Hanafi said in a statement.
This Nov. 20, 2024, file photo shows an aerial view of a Red Sea pier with yachts and boats moored in Marsa Alam, Egypt. (Sebnem Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)
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Authorities are actively investigating this incident. Additional information is unknown at this time.
Reuters contributed to this report.
