Five more survivors, four deceased found following tour boat capsize in Red Sea off Egypt

Officials of the Egyptian Armed Forces report that search and rescue (SAR) operations have led to the successful recovery of five additional survivors of a maritime incident wherein a dive tour boat capsized and sank off Egypt's Red Sea coast earlier this week.

Tragically, however, Egyptian Navy SAR teams also found the bodies of four deceased victims of the capsizing of the tour boat Sea Story off the town of Marsa Alam.

The incident occurred on Monday, November 25, while the ill-fated vessel was sailing on a multi-day diving trip out of the resort town of Porto Ghalib near Marsa Alam with 44 passengers and crew on board.

The armed forces announced the rescue of the additional survivors and the recovery of the deceased individuals on Wednesday, November 27. The five recently rescued survivors include one Egyptian, one Finnish, one Swiss, and two Belgian nationals.

Twenty-eight people were rescued during the first few hours of the SAR operation. Another seven individuals who are still unaccounted for are believed to have become trapped inside their cabins, thus preventing them from escaping as the vessel sank.

The incident has been attributed to bad weather, as the Egyptian Meteorological Authority had earlier issued a forecast of strong winds and rough waves in the Red Sea and therefore warned against conducting any maritime activities in the area.