Five survivors have been found alive more than 24 hours after a tourist boat sank off Egypt's Red Sea coast.
The Sea Story was carrying 44 including 31 tourists and 13 crew on a multi-day diving trip when it went down south of the coastal town of Marsa Alam at around 5.30am local time on Monday.
Some 28 people who had been on board were rescued soon after the capsize but 16 remained missing on Tuesday morning as a search and rescue operation resumed.
It was reported that four bodies were then found along with three survivors, who were two Belgians and an Egyptian. A fourth and fifth person were later found alive. It is understood they had been in the water for more than 30 hours.
There are reports that four Britons were on board the vessel when it went down, and two of them remained missing.
The search continued on Tuesday afternoon for the seven people still unaccounted for.
Rescue operations are being co-ordinated by the Egyptian military and the Red Sea Governorate.
The 28 people initially rescued had only minor injuries such as bruises and scrapes with none requiring hospitalisation, reported the BBC.
A distress call was made from the yacht shortly before dawn on Monday.
The vessel had left Marsa Alam for a five-day sailing expedition.
Mr Hanafi said that according to those on board, a “high sea wave” hit the vessel and caused it to capsize in “about five or seven minutes”.
“Some passengers were in their cabins, which is why they were unable to escape,” he added in his statement.
Mr Hanafi also ruled out that there was a technical defect to the ship, saying that all the required licences had been obtained for The Sea Story.
The governorate said a distress call was received at 5.30am (3.30am GMT) from the boat, which had departed from Porto Ghalib in Marsa Alam on Sunday with plans to return to Hurghada Marina on November 29.
Egyptian armed forces frigates and aircraft swept the area in search of the missing, which local officials said included 12 foreign nationals, but by 5pm local time (3pm GMT) the search had been paused for the night, a government source told Reuters.
The foreign nationals aboard the 34-metre-long vessel, owned by an Egyptian national, included Britons, Americans, Belgians, Chinese, Finns, Germans, Irish, Poles, Slovakians, Spanish, and Swiss.
A surviving crew member said the Sea Story was “hit by a wave in the middle of the night, throwing the vessel on its side”, according to a manager at a nearby diving resort.
Authorities in Hurghada had shut down marine activities on Sunday due to “bad weather conditions”.
Mr Hanafi said that Egypt is collaborating with embassies, consulates, and relevant authorities to facilitate documentation for the rescued passengers, who are current being accommodated at a hotel in Marsa Alam, and to ensure their needs are met.
The UK Foreign Office said it is providing consular support to a number of British nationals and their families and are in contact with the local authorities.
The Red Sea is a popular diving destination renowned for its coral reefs and marine life and is important for Egypt's vital tourism industry.
Mr Hanafi said that the boat likely sank near the Sataya Reef, without giving further information.
The Egyptian Meteorological Authority warned of high waves on the Red Sea and advised against maritime activity on Sunday and Monday.
The yacht was operated by Dive Pro Liveaboard, which is based in the Egyptian resort of Hurghada.
The company said it has no information on the matter.
He said a thorough technical review confirmed no faults with the boat, which had passed its last inspection by the Maritime Safety Authority in March 2024, receiving a one-year validity certificate.
The Egyptian Red Sea Ports Authority said in a statement it had closed maritime traffic in the area on Sunday afternoon when the wind speed reached 34 knots and wave height reached 3-4 metres (10-13 ft).
This is the second boat to sink in the area this year. In June, a boat sank after it suffered severe damage from strong waves, the Environment Ministry said at the time. No casualties were reported.
In June last year, three Britons died when the diving boat they were on burst into flames off Marsa Alam. The fire was caused by a suspected electrical fault.
