Six foreign tourists lost their lives on Thursday when a submarine carrying Russian passengers sank off the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Hurghada.
According to the Russian consulate in Hurghada, the vessel, named Sindbad, had 45 Russian tourists on board, along with crew members. The consulate confirmed four fatalities but did not specify their nationalities.
“Most of those on board were rescued and taken to their hotels and hospitals in Hurghada,” the consulate reported, adding that the status of several passengers was still being verified.
Local media stated that rescue teams had successfully saved 29 of the 45 passengers.
The Red Sea, renowned for its coral reefs and marine biodiversity, is a vital hub for Egypt’s tourism sector, which heavily relies on Russian visitors.
This incident follows other maritime accidents in the region. In November, four people drowned and 33 were rescued when a tourist diving boat was hit by high waves and sank within minutes. Another boat sank in June due to storm damage, though no casualties were reported, according to Egypt’s Environment Ministry.
A United Nations report recently ranked Egypt as Africa’s top tourism earner in 2024, generating $14.1 billion—more than double the country’s Suez Canal revenues—highlighting the sector’s critical role in the national economy.
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