Three Brits have been reported missing after a luxury boat burst into flames in the Red Sea. The scuba diving boat was carrying 29 people and was headed to the Marsa Alam region of Egypt in the southern part of the Red Sea.
Now, a major search is underway for three British tourists who went missing in the incident. Twelve other Britons are said to have been rescued from the boat off the coast of Marsa Alam, reports the Mirror.
The vessel was the Hurricane diving vessel owned by the Tornado Marine Fleet, an Egyptian tour operator covering the popular tourist destination. At 6.30am on Sunday, June 11, the ship was approaching the Elphinstone Reef - which is known for being a good spot to see sharks and dolphins - when it caught fire.
A spokesperson for the operator told the Mirror that the blaze broke out during the diving briefing, as the passengers were preparing to explore the pristine waters. They said: "Today at 6.30 am at Elphinstone, while doing the diving briefing, [the] Hurricane caught fire.
"We do have the missing British passengers, and all others were on the Ribs [life boats] to another boat and reached the nearest land safely. Now, we are bringing the boat back to the marina under authority supervision."
The company advertises the Hurricane, which is one of their most popular vessels, as a "Powerhouse in the Southern Red Sea" which costs around £1500 for a seven-night trip, including flights. Images shared online showed the stunning ship fitted with advanced diving equipment, which is all provided free of charge, a massive dining area and even an on-board chef preparing the day's fuel.
Its website adds: "Hurricane has long history of sailing the southern Red Sea. This steel hulled liveaboard makes for a stable home for a week, cruising some of the Red Sea's most famous and beloved dive sites." The ship is just under 120ft long, with 11 en-suite, air-conditioned cabins split between two decks.
Egyptian police earlier confirmed that the Hurricane was carrying 29 people at the time of the fire, 12 of them Brits and another 14 locals. The identities of the three missing passengers have not yet been shared.
Copts Today added that the boat had set out from the Marina Porto Ghalib on June 6, which was Tuesday.
The surviving tourists and crew have been taken to the beach of a village called Marsa Al-Shajara The Egyptian outlet added that they are all in good health and unharmed.
The search continues for the three missing tourists. An FCDO spokesperson said: "We are in contact with local authorities following an incident aboard a dive boat near Marsa Alam, and are supporting British nationals involved."
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