A tourist excursion to explore the coral reef ended in tragedy when a Sindbad Submarine vessel sank off the coast of Hurghada, Egypt, earlier Thursday.
The submersible was carrying 45 passengers, all Russian nationals, along with its crew. At least six people were killed, and 19 others were injured, four of them critically, according to initial reports.
The vessel went down about a mile from shore, near Hurghada’s port. The Russian Consulate confirmed the casualties and said most of those on board had been rescued. The cause of the sinking remains unclear, renewing concerns over the safety of maritime excursions in the region.
Sindbad Submarine has operated in the area for years and is one of only a handful of companies worldwide offering tourist submarine dives. Its vessels, designed to carry 44 passengers and two pilots, take visitors up to 82 feet underwater to view coral reefs and marine life through large panoramic windows.
The incident adds to a troubling safety record in the Red Sea. British investigators have documented at least 16 maritime accidents in the region over the past five years, including the sinking of the Sea Story in November. Some of those incidents resulted in fatalities.
Submarine tours are a popular attraction in the Maldives, the Caribbean, and other tropical destinations, offering visitors a chance to experience the underwater world without scuba diving. But the latest disaster raises fresh concerns about the safety of such excursions, with renewed calls for stricter inspections and better oversight to ensure passenger protection.
