A viewing submarine has sunk off the favored Egyptian Purple Sea resort of Hurghada on Thursday, March 27, killing six vacationers and calling for the rescue of 39 overseas passengers, based on the Purple Sea Governorate.
The incident occurred aboard the ‘Sindbad’, a submarine carrying 45 vacationers from Russia, India, Norway, and Sweden, together with 5 Egyptian crew members. Authorities have confirmed that no passengers or crew stay lacking.
The governorate reported that almost all survivors had been safely evacuated and transported to inns and hospitals in Hurghada. The Russian consulate corroborated the rescue efforts, noting the vast majority of these onboard had been saved. The Sindbad, which was designed with giant portholes to showcase the Purple Sea’s vibrant corals and marine life, might dive to depths of 25 metres, based on the working firm’s web site. Not like the ill-fated submersible that imploded close to the Titanic in 2023, this vessel catered to leisurely underwater tourism nearer to the floor.
Egyptian authorities, led by Purple Sea Province Governor Amr Hanafy, have launched an investigation into the sinking, interviewing crew members to find out its trigger. The submarine and its captain had been absolutely licensed, Hanafy confirmed. The incident marks one other blow to Egypt’s tourism sector, one of the vital necessary sectors of its economic system, which generated $14.1 billion in 2024, outpacing Suez Canal earnings, based on a latest UN report.
The Purple Sea, famed for its marine biodiversity, has seen a string of vacationer boat mishaps. In November, a diving boat capsized, killing a minimum of 11, and final month, one other vessel overturned after upkeep. Regardless of previous militant assaults, Egypt’s tourism trade stays an important lifeline, drawing guests to its pyramids, Nile cruises, and coastal resorts.