6 killed, 39 rescued after tourist submarine sinks off Egypt's coast

Six Russians died on Thursday and 39 foreign tourists were rescued when a viewing submarine sank off the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Hurghada, the local governor's office said on Facebook, adding that no passengers or crew were still missing.

The Russian consulate in Hurghada said the submarine, named "SINDBAD," had 45 Russian tourists on board, in addition to crew members.

"Most of those on board were rescued and taken to their hotels and hospitals in Hurghada," the consulate said.

The consulate told the country's state news agency RIA Novosti that 14 people were hospitalized and the rest returned to their hotel, The Associated Press reported. 

Russia's Tass news agency said five Russians were confirmed dead, including two children. The two Egyptian municipal officials said the total toll was six, but the nationality of the sixth was not immediately known. 

Russian and Egyptian officials did not immediately say what caused the submarine to sink.

The submarine was equipped with large portholes to let passengers see the Red Sea's spectacular corals and marine life, and able to dive to a depth of 25 metres, according to the company's website.

It was a far cry from the extreme adventure craft that imploded thousands of metres below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean near the sunken Titanic in June 2023.

Egyptian authorities conducting investigation

The Red Sea is a major hub for Egypt's crucial tourism industry, a pillar of the economy, in which Russian tourists play an increasing part. Egypt also attracts tourists with its great pyramids of Giza and cruises on the Nile in Luxor and Aswan.

Successive Egyptian governments have waged successful crackdowns on Islamist militant groups who hurt the tourism industry and attacked foreigners in the past.

Egyptian authorities are conducting investigations with crew members to determine the causes of the submarine sinking, the local governorate cited Red Sea Province Governor Amr Hanafy as saying.

The submarine, which is owned by an Egyptian, was licensed and so was the crew captain, he said.

There have been several recent incidents of tourist boats capsizing. 

Last June, a boat sank after suffering severe damage from high waves. No casualties were reported.

And in November, a tourist boat capsized while carrying 31 tourists and 13 crew on a multi-day diving trip. Local media reported that at least 11 people had died in the incident, which was also blamed on high waves.

At the time, the governor of the Red Sea province said the boat, the Sea Story, had passed a safety inspection eight months earlier.

Last month, a tourist boat capsized while en route to Hurghada after undergoing maintenance.

The Tourism Ministry and the Chamber of Diving did not respond to Reuters' requests for comment.

Many tourist companies have stopped or limited travelling on the Red Sea due to the dangers from conflicts in the region.

A United Nations report ranked Egypt first in Africa for tourism revenues in 2024 at $14.1 billion US, more than twice what it earns in Suez Canal revenues, highlighting tourism's vital role in sustaining the hard-pressed economy.