A sightseeing submersible with 45 passengers onboard encountered distress 1km off the coast

At least six Russian citizens have died in Egypt following the sinking of a tourist submarine, Russian officials have confirmed.

The tragedy unfolded on Thursday morning in the resort city of Hurghada when a submersible owned by a local hotel and manned by five crew members was taking 45 predominantly Russian tourists for a sightseeing trip at a coral reef. The emergency occurred approximately 1km from the shore.

Among the six victims identified by the Russian consulate general in Hurghada, two were minors. Several individuals remain unaccounted for, Consul Viktor Vorpaev informed journalists. Egyptian media reports indicate that the total death toll may be as high as nine. Seven survivors required hospital treatment in the aftermath of the incident.

The cause of the sinking remains unclear. Witnesses suggested that the submersible began its descent before all passengers had boarded from a pontoon moored near the reef, leading to widespread panic. A video shared by Russian media captured the chaos as people screamed while the vessel's top hatch remained open.

Red Sea Governor Amr Hanafi, who visited the survivors, stated that the submersible's license and documentation were in order and promised full transparency in the investigation. He said citizens from India, Norway, and Sweden were also among the passengers.

Most tourists were reportedly accommodated at three hotels: the submersible's owner, Sindbad Club, along with Mercure Hurghada and Titanic Beach. The watercraft was ten years old, according to the company that organized the excursion.

(RT.com)