The search for seven individuals still missing after a dive boat capsized and drowned off Egypt’s east coast reached its third day on Wednesday, according to the governor of the Red Sea governorate.
The government of Egypt shared video footage Wednesday morning of the latest tourists rescued from the yacht that killed at least four people, including one Slovak tourist.
According to the governor’s office, the hunt for seven passengers remains missing after the “Sea Story” was hit by a wave and sank in the middle of the night on Monday.
The vessel had left Port Ghalib, near Marsa Alam in the southeast, the day before on a multi-day diving expedition with 31 passengers (mainly Europeans, including Chinese and US nationals) and a 13-member crew. Authorities said a military-led squad rescued two Belgians, a Swiss national, a Finnish tourist, and an Egyptian on Tuesday, as well as four bodies.
On Wednesday, Egyptian officials confirmed the death of one of Slovakia’s residents, according to the foreign ministry. Two more people made it out alive. Thirty-three people have been rescued, including tourists seen in a video jumping off a motorboat at a dock near Marsa Alam while wrapped in blankets.
“We were shaking with cold,” an anonymous man stated in the footage.
According to a government source familiar with the rescue operations, the tourists in the video spent at least 24 hours inside a cabin of the wrecked vessel until rescuers discovered them on Tuesday morning.
Two survivors, one of whom was identified by authorities on video as an Egyptian, were carried out on stretchers, one of whom was aware and spoke.
The Sea Story was scheduled to dock on Friday in Hurghada, some 200 kilometres (124 miles) north of Marsa Alam.
Egypt’s authorities stated the yacht was completely licensed and had passed all inspections. A preliminary investigation revealed no technical issues.
Earlier this year, two boat accidents in the Marsa Alam area did not result in any fatalities.
The Red Sea coastline is a popular tourist destination in Egypt.
According to AFP, dozens of diving boats travel between the Red Sea coral reefs and the islands off Egypt’s eastern coast daily, where safety laws are strict but unevenly implemented.