CAIRO (AP) — Egyptian naval forces rescued five people Tuesday and recovered four bodies, a day after a tourist yacht carrying 44 passengers sank in the Red Sea coastal town of Marsa Alam, officials said, after facing rough weather.
This brings the total to 33 survivors while seven remain missing.
Sea Story, a live-aboard used mainly for maritime activities, sent a distress signal after a large wave crashed into the boat, causing it to capsize, according to survivors' accounts. Some passengers were inside the cabins when the boat overturned within minutes, according to statements.
A rescue operation, still ongoing, was ordered and 28 people were rescued Monday from the vessel.
On Tuesday, the governor of the Red Sea region, Amr Hanafy, said the five survivors were two Belgians, an Egyptian, a Swiss citizen, and a Finnish national. He also said the four bodies are yet to be identified.
The boat carried 13 Egyptians, including crew members, and 31 foreign nationals from the United States, Germany, United Kingdom, Poland, Belgium, Switzerland, Finland, China, Slovakia, Spain, and Ireland.
The German foreign ministry said Tuesday that three Germans remain missing while three others have been rescued.
Meanwhile, Paweł Wroński, Poland’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, said two Polish nationals, a man and a woman, are also missing and that their families have been notified.
Live-aboards usually depart port for multiple-day excursions. Sea Story left Port Ghalib in Marsa Alam on Sunday and was scheduled to deck in Hurghada five days later. It sank 46 nautical miles away from Marsa Alam, according to the governor.
The boat had no technical problems, obtained all required permits prior to the trip, and was last checked for naval safety in March, officials said. According to the website of the boat operator Dive Pro Liveaboard, the Sea Story was built in 2022 and can hold 36 passengers.
The Egyptian Meteorological Authority on Saturday warned of turbulence and high waves, advising against naval activity on Sunday and Monday.
Marsa Alam is renowned for its pristine beaches, a wide variety of marine life, and regular shark sightings, particularly the curious Oceanic White Tip, drawing in scuba diving enthusiasts worldwide. However, some of the dive sites are challenging, with rough currents, and require advanced certification.
The Egyptian military is also involved in coordinating the rescue operation.
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Associated Press news writers Monika Scislowska in Warsaw and Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report.