Forty-five people went missing in the Red Sea early this morning (25 November) when the liveaboard Sea Story was reported sunk during a diving trip – and an unknown number of survivors have now been located off the Wadi el-Gemal reserve between Marsa Alam and Hamata.
An aircraft is reported to have transported some survivors to hospital for urgent attention, while others were said to be awaiting evacuation by Egyptian naval frigate, according to the Red Sea Governorate. The total number of people rescued remains unclear at present.
Also read: British divers missing from Sea Story named
A crew-member issued a distress call from the liveaboard at 5.30am local time, before contact was lost. The Naval Base Control Centre then mobilised search and rescue efforts, initially deploying a helicopter and a marine unit from Bernice to where the liveaboard was presumed to have sunk.
The 44m timber-hulled Sea Story, which has 18 twin cabins, had left Port Ghalib north of Marsa Alam yesterday and was scheduled to reach Hurghada on 29 November, carrying 31 guests of various nationalities and 14 crew.
The Red Sea Governorate said that updates would be issued as new information became available.
Also on Divernet: ‘OUR DIVE LIVEABOARD CAPSIZED: NOW WHAT?’, EGYPTIAN LIVEABOARD SINKS IN DEEP SOUTH, WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SEADUCTION?
