Three people were killed while two others were injured after a boat carrying tourists capsized in the Gulf of Oman on Tuesday, January 27.
Officials said the unnamed boat was en route to the Ad Dimaniyat Islands when it overturned approximately 2.5 nautical miles off Sultan Qaboos Port in Oman's capital city of Muscat shortly after 09:00 local time on Tuesday.
A passing ship diverted to where the tour boat had capsized so that the crew could render assistance to the distressed occupants. Witnesses said the rescue was carried out as wave heights reached two metres and weather conditions in the area quickly deteriorated.
The boat's 25 passengers, their tour guide, and the captain were later brought ashore to be assessed by waiting emergency medical personnel. Tragically, three passengers were declared dead at the scene.
The boat's passengers at the time the incident occurred were all French nationals.
An official of Oman's Civil Defence and Ambulance Authority told local radio station Hala FM that some of the passengers were not wearing lifejackets up until the moment their boat capsized.
An investigation to determine the probable causes of the incident is already underway.