Major search operation Boat sinks off the coast of Egypt - Swiss tourist missing

A boat carrying numerous tourists has sunk off the coast of Egypt, triggering a large-scale rescue operation. At least 45 people are missing after the ship disappeared in the Red Sea.

A dramatic boat accident has occurred off the Egyptian coast, in which a boat with numerous tourists on board has sunk. The "Sea Story", which had set off from Porto Ghalib for a dive on November 24, was due to return to the marina in Hurghada on November 29.

However, in the early morning of November 25, at around 5.30 a.m. local time, a distress call was made by a crew member before contact was lost, according to local media reports.

The authorities immediately launched a large-scale rescue operation to find the 31 tourists and 14 crew members who were on board.

According to the authorities, 16 people have been rescued alive so far. The search for the remaining people is still ongoing. According to the authorities, two Swiss nationals are also believed to be on board. One person has been found and another is still missing, according to the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA).

Major search operation underway

According to Governor Amr Hanafi, 17 of the 45 people on board, including 31 tourists, are still missing after an initial search. Hanafi did not say which countries the missing people came from.

The missing people come from different countries and it is feared that the boat sank in the Sha'ab Sataya region. Rescue teams and a helicopter are being used to locate the missing.

The search is focusing on the area where the boat was last located before it disappeared from radar. According to the Egyptian authorities, they are working closely with international partners to coordinate the rescue efforts and increase the chances of survival for the missing people.