Six people have died and at least nine others are injured after a tourist submarine sank in the popular Egyptian Red Sea destination of Hurghada, officials said.
Emergency crews were able to rescue 29 people, according to a statement released by the Red Sea governorate.
The submarine was sailing off one of the beaches in the tourist promenade area and was carrying 45 tourists.
The Russian embassy in Egypt said all the tourists on board the submarine were Russian.
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The Russian consulate in Hurghada said the submarine, named Sindbad, had 45 Russian tourists on board in addition to crew members.
The consulate said four people had died, but did not specify if they were Russian.
“According to initial data, most of those on board were rescued and taken to their hotels and hospitals in Hurghada,” the consulate said.
The fate of several tourists was still being clarified, the consulate added.
It was not immediately clear what caused the submarine to sink.
The incident, involving a recreational vessel operated by Sindbad Submarines, occurred in waters opposite Hurghada’s Marriot Hotel resort.
The Sindbad club’s website says it offers short tourist trips in two submarines that it operates that have a maximum depth range of 25 metres.
According to the website its submarines allow tourists to “experience the beauty of the Red Sea’s underwater world without getting wet”.
Hurghada, about 250 miles (400km) southeast of Cairo, is one of Egypt’s main hubs for international visitors coming to vacation by the Red Sea.
In November, four people drowned and 33 were rescued when a tourist diving boat was struck by high waves and sank within minutes.
Another boat sank in June after storm damage, the environment ministry said at the time, although no casualties were reported.
However, Thursday’s forecast was clear, with above-average winds reported but optimum visibility underwater.
Many tourist companies have stopped or limited travelling on the Red Sea due to the dangers from conflicts in the region. – Agencies
