Egypt boat tragedy: Four bodies recovered from capsized tourist yacht off Red Sea coast

A day after a tourist boat capsized off Egypt’s Red Sea coast, five survivors found.

Seven passengers remain unaccounted for after the boat left the Egyptian port of Marsa Alam on Monday.

The ‘Sea Story’ boat capsized on Monday near the Sataya Reef, carrying 31 tourists and 13 crew on a multi-day diving trip.

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The boat was then struck by high waves and sank in five to seven minutes.

The Red Sea Governorate issued a statement on Monday, saying that 16 passengers were believed to have been trapped inside.

Meanwhile, 28 survivors were rescued with minor injuries. The authorities are working with embassies and consulates to provide assistance and documentation to those rescued.

The boat began its 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 kilometres (124 miles) north.

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The Sea Story capsized during rough weather conditions. At that time, the wave heights were three to four metres (10 to 13 feet) and wind speeds of 34 knots in the area on Sunday, leading to the closure of maritime traffic, the Egyptian Red Sea Ports Authority stated.

Notably, this was the second boat that sank in the area this year. In June, another vessel suffered severe damage from strong waves, though no casualties were reported.

The Red Sea coast is a major tourist destination in Egypt. Dozens of dive boats crisscross between coral reefs and islands off Egypt's eastern coast every day, where safety regulations are robust, but are unevenly enforced.

(With inputs from agencies)