Egypt Says 17 Missing After Red Sea Tourist Boat Capsizes

The “Sea Story” embarked on Sunday on a multi-day diving trip from Port Ghalib near Marsa Alam in the southeast, and had been due to dock on Friday at the town of Hurghada, 200 kilometers (124 miles) north. (Red Sea Goveronate)

Egyptian authorities said 17 people including foreigners were missing after a tourist yacht capsized off the country's Red Sea coast on Monday, with 28 others rescued.

The vessel, which was carrying 31 tourists of various nationalities and a 14-member crew, sent out a distress signal at 5:30 am (0330 GMT), said a statement from Egypt's Red Sea governorate.

The Sea Story embarked on Sunday on a multi-day diving trip from Port Ghalib near Marsa Alam in Egypt's southeast, and was due to dock on Friday in the town of Hurghada, 200 kilometres (124 miles) north.

Governor Amr Hanafi said that some survivors were rescued by an aircraft, while others were transported to safety aboard a warship.

"Intensive search operations are underway in coordination with the navy and the armed forces," Hanafi added in a statement.

Authorities have not indicated the possible cause of the incident or mention the nationalities of the tourists.

The area of Marsa Alam has seen at least two similar incidents earlier this year. Both ended without any deaths.

The Red Sea coast is a major tourist destination in Egypt, a country of 105 million that is in the grip of a serious economic crisis. Nationally, the tourism sector employs two million people and generates more than 10 percent of GDP.

Earlier this month, 30 people were rescued from a sinking dive boat near the Red Sea's famous Deadalus reef.

In June, two dozen French tourists were safely evacuated before their boat sank in a similar accident.

Last year, three British tourists died after a fire broke out on their yacht, engulfing their vessel in flames.

Dozens of diving boats criss-cross between coral reefs and islands off Egypt's eastern coast every day, where safety regulations are robust but unevenly enforced.