Three tourists were declared missing but were later found and confirmed dead after a fire broke out on a diving boat they were traveling on in the Egyptian Red Sea.
The tourist boat, populated by 29 individuals – 15 British tourists and 14 crew members, was voyaging off Marsa Alam’s coast when the incident occurred, according to a report by Ahram Online media. Out of the 15 British tourists, twelve were rescued while the remaining three didn’t survive.
The boat’s operator, Tornado Marine Fleet, along with tour company Scuba Travel, reported that a fire had broken out at about 8:30 am local time during a dive briefing. The three tourists who sadly lost their lives had chosen not to dive that day and were not at the briefing.
The fire was reportedly initiated in the engine room. As the crew members attempted to rescue the three missing passengers, the other tourists were evacuated. Eventually, the crew was forced to evacuate the boat, and the victims were discovered later.
Medical treatment was administered to the rescued divers in the Marsa Shagra town. However, personal belongings and passports left onboard were destroyed by the fire.
The diving boat, named the “Hurricane,” was a luxurious vessel equipped with high-end cabins, a dining room, a living room, and an onboard chef. The passengers were reportedly at the end of a six day stay on the boat.
On Sunday, June 11, a spokesperson from the UK Foreign Office issued a statement confirming they are coordinating with local authorities and offering support to the affected British nationals. This tragic incident follows the recent closure of beaches in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada due to a fatal shark attack on a Russian man.
