Submarine in Egypt sinks with hatches allegedly left open, 6 tourists including 2 children dead

Tragic submarine sinking off Red Sea coast disaster raises safety concerns in Hurghada, Egypt

On Thursday (27 March) at around 10am local time, a tourist submarine named Sindbad sank approximately 1km off the coast of Hurghada, a popular resort city along Egypt’s Red Sea.

The incident tragically resulted in the deaths of six Russian tourists, including two children.

Nine others were injured, four of whom are in critical condition.

Source: Ria Novosti

Rescue operations successfully saved 39 individuals, who were transported to local hospitals and hotels for medical evaluation and support.

The vessel was conducting an underwater sightseeing tour with 45 passengers from Russia, India, Norway, and Sweden, along with five Egyptian crew members, according to Red Sea Governor Amr Hanafy.

Source: Xinhua

Hatches reportedly left open

Egyptian authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the submarine sinking.

According to survivors, water entered the submarine through open hatches as passengers boarded.

However, other reports suggest that the vessel may have struck a reef, causing a loss of pressure.

The Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) stated in a Telegram post that the submarine hit a reef and subsequently lost pressure at a depth of 20m.

Source: ATOR Telegram channel

Investigation underway into Egypt submarine sinking

This incident has raised serious concerns about safety standards in Egypt’s maritime tourism sector.

Source: Xinhua

The Red Sea region has seen multiple maritime accidents in recent years, including the sinking of the Sea Story tourist boat in November 2024, which resulted in several fatalities.

Tourism is a key sector of Egypt’s economy, with the Red Sea’s coral reefs and marine life attracting numerous visitors each year.

Russian tourists, in particular, represent a significant portion of this demographic, according to Reuters.

Investigations into the incident are still ongoing.