Three tourists were declared missing but have now been confirmed dead after a fire broke out on a diving boat they were traveling on in the Egyptian Red Sea.
The tourist vessel, which was accommodating 29 individuals comprising 15 British tourists and 14 crew members, was navigating off the Marsa Alam coast at the incident’s time, as per Ahram Online media reports. A dozen British tourists were successfully rescued, but three did not survive the incident.
The tour organizer, Scuba Travel, and the boat operator, Tornado Marine Fleet, revealed that a fire sparked onboard at approximately 8:30 am local time during a pre-dive briefing. The three deceased individuals had opted not to participate in the day’s dive and thus did not attend the briefing.
The ignition reportedly originated in the engine room. While the crew was endeavoring to save the three missing tourists, the other passengers were evacuated. The crew was ultimately compelled to abandon the vessel, and the victims were later discovered.
The 12 rescued divers received medical care in Marsa Shagra. Personal items and passports were lost in the blaze as they had been left onboard.
The dive boat, christened “Hurricane,” boasted luxury cabins, a dining area, a lounge, and a resident chef.
On Sunday, June 11, a representative from the UK Foreign Office assured that they are liaising with local authorities and providing support to the affected British nationals. This incident follows a recent beach closure in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada due to a fatal shark attack on a Russian man.
