Rescuers recover three bodies after boat accident in the Red Sea
Published: Tuesday, Nov 26th 2024, 13:10
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Following the boat accident in the Red Sea, rescuers have recovered three bodies from the water. The governor responsible for the region, Amr Hanafi, told the news agency DPA that he could not provide any information on the nationality of the three fatalities. One person from Switzerland is among the 13 people still missing.
The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) announced on Monday that a second Swiss national had been rescued and was unharmed.
The three victims were the first confirmed fatalities after the accident. 28 survivors were rescued. Hanafi previously said that four Germans and two Swiss were on board, as well as around 20 vacationers from other European countries. The search for the missing continues with an Egyptian military frigate and helicopters, Hanafi added.
Governor reports swell
The boat "Sea Story", which sank off the Egyptian coast, probably crashed in heavy swell. The governor said this, citing accounts from the crew and tourists after the accident. A large wave had hit the multi-storey boat and caused it to capsize. Some passengers had not made it out of their cabins in time. The boat, which underwent an inspection in the spring, had no technical defects.
More than 24 hours have probably passed since the accident following an emergency call early on Monday morning. The chances of finding survivors are decreasing. Some of the survivors were picked up by another tourist boat, Hanafi explained. "All the rescued passengers are fine," Hanafi said in his statement. They had been accommodated in a hotel in the coastal town of Marsa Alam. With the help of the various embassies, they are working on obtaining documents for their journey home.
According to the authorities, the Egyptian ship had set off on Sunday from the port of Port Ghalib in the Marsa Alam region on a trip lasting several days and was due to call at Hurghada, around 200 kilometers to the north, on Friday. According to the governor's office, 31 vacationers from several countries and 14 crew members were on board.
©Keystone/SDA
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