Six people lost their lives after a tourist submarine sank off the coast of Egypt. The vessel was carrying 44 passengers, many of whom were children.
Nine people were injured, with four in critical condition. At least 29 passengers were rescued from the water.
Among the survivors were two children, aged 10 and 15, who were orphaned after their parents—40-year-old Ravil Valiullin, an anaesthetist, and his 39-year-old wife, a pediatrician—were killed in the sinking.
Emergency responders rushed to the scene near the popular tourist destination of Hurghada and transported the injured to local hospitals. However, the cause of the accident remains unclear.
Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the incident. However, the governor stated that the operator of the submarine was properly certified and that the vessel had a valid operating license.
Major General Amr Hanafy also visited nearby hospitals, speaking with survivors, some of whom were wrapped in emergency blankets as they rested on hospital beds.
Local media reports suggest that the submarine, named Sindbad, was allegedly in poor condition before departing. Tourists had previously raised concerns about faulty life jackets and fragile glass windows.
One passenger claimed that the guides failed to provide any safety instructions before they set off, adding, “[they] didn’t tell [us] what to do in an emergency.”
The company’s website, however, stated that the submarine was equipped with oxygen masks overhead and life vests, which were located under the seats.
As soon as the tourist submarine struck a reef at depth, water began flooding the cabin. Passengers panicked as they found themselves trapped, unable to escape.
According to reports, the submarine went down near the marina of a popular hotel in Hurghada, though the hotel’s name has not yet been disclosed.
The Sindbad, which is designed to travel 25 meters below the water’s surface, had been used for tourist excursions for several years.
Described as a “semi-submarine,” the vessel was designed for underwater sightseeing, allowing tourists to observe marine life through its glass windows.
In a Facebook post, the Russian embassy in Egypt confirmed that all passengers on board were Russian tourists traveling with the Biblio Globus tour company, which claims to own two of the world’s 14 recreational submarines. They stated that the submarine sank approximately one kilometer from shore at around 10:00 a.m. local time.
Initially, the embassy reported that most passengers had been rescued and taken to hotels or hospitals, assuring that their health was not a major concern. However, they later confirmed that five people had died in the incident, with several others unaccounted for.
