Six Russian Tourists Die in Submarine Sinking Off Egypt’s Red Sea Coast
Tourist submarine “Sindbad” sinks near Hurghada with 45 Russians aboard; nine injured, including four in critical condition, as rescue efforts continue.
Watan-Six Russian tourists were killed and nine others injured, including four in critical condition, after a tourist submarine sank off the coast of Hurghada, a resort city on Egypt’s Red Sea, on Thursday. The incident involved 45 Russian passengers, including minors and children, who were on board the submarine at the time of the accident.
The Red Sea Governorate in Egypt announced that 29 tourists had been rescued, and the injured were transported to several hospitals in Hurghada for treatment. The incident occurred near the marina of a well-known hotel, following reports that the tourist submarine had sunk, resulting in fatalities and injuries.
Emergency services raised the alert level, deploying 21 ambulances to the scene. Four of the victims’ bodies were taken to El Masry Hospital, one to the General Hospital, and another to Al-Kawthar Hospital.
Russian Consulate Confirms Casualties
The Russian Consulate General in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada confirmed on Thursday that four Russian tourists had died in the sinking of the “Sindbad” tourist submarine, which sank just one kilometer from the shore.
In a statement posted on its Telegram channel, the consulate said:“At approximately 10:00 AM on March 27, the Sindbad tourist submarine—owned by a hotel of the same name—was involved in an accident. The submarine was conducting a scheduled underwater tour to view coral reefs. In addition to the crew, there were 45 tourists on board, including minors—all of them Russian nationals and clients of the tour companies Biblio Globus and ALS Tour, operating in Egypt.”
The statement added that initial information indicated most passengers had been rescued and returned to their hotels or taken to local hospitals, with no serious health risks. However, four people had been confirmed dead, and the fate of a few others was still being verified. Russian diplomats arrived at the scene, located at the Sindbad Hotel marina on the Hurghada tourist promenade.
About the Submarine
According to the hotel’s website, the Sindbad submarine dives to a depth of 25 meters and offers passengers “an unforgettable journey” through 500 meters of coral reefs and marine life. The submarine is designed to accommodate 44 passengers and two pilots.
Previous Incidents in the Region
In November 2023, Egyptian rescue teams found survivors from the sinking of the “Sea Story” tourist boat in the Red Sea’s Wadi El-Gemal area, near Marsa Alam, south of Hurghada. The vessel had 45 people on board, including 31 tourists of various nationalities.
In another tragic incident, a Russian tourist was killed in a shark attack at a Hurghada beach in June 2023, near the Dream Beach Hotel on the old Sheraton Road (Panorama Hurghada).
