A tragic accident off Egypt's Red Sea coast has left six people dead and dozens more rescued after a tourist submarine sank near the popular resort city of Hurghada on Thursday.
The vessel, carrying mostly Russian vacationers, went down during a regular underwater excursion to explore the region's coral reefs, triggering a swift and desperate rescue operation.
The Russian embassy and Egyptian state-run media reported that 39 people were rescued, with 21 of them, including seven children aged between two and 15, hospitalized. The victims were foreign nationals, according to Reuters.
The incident occurred around 10:00 a.m. local time, approximately one kilometer from the shore. The submarine was on its routine tour when it suddenly crashed.
The submarine, operated by Sindbad Submarines, was well-regarded for its expertise in navigating the waters of the Red Sea, with an "expert team" and submarines "engineered in Finland" to handle underwater pressures.
The company's website reassured potential customers about safety, citing the presence of oxygen masks and life vests, while also highlighting the vessel's ability to reach depths of 25 meters to explore coral reefs.
While Egypt's tourism sector is a vital contributor to its economy, such incidents have raised concerns about safety standards in the industry, particularly in the country's popular Red Sea resorts.
