The Daily Star Ireland
The Irish national who was aboard a tourist yacht that capsized in the Red Sea off Egypt is safe, according to Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin. Mr. Martin updated reporters in Dublin on Tuesday morning, confirming that the Irish citizen is okay and receiving consular assistance from the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Earlier today, Amr Hanafi, the governor of the Red Sea region, reported that three bodies had been recovered after the yacht capsized on Monday morning, and a fourth body has now been found. Rescue efforts have saved 28 people from the vessel south of Marsa Alam, with some airlifted for medical treatment. An additional three people, two Belgian nationals and an Egyptian national, were rescued today, bringing the total number of people rescued to 31 out of the 44 who were on board.
There was at least one Irish citizen on the yacht that sank off the coast of Egypt, with rescue operations still ongoing for nine missing individuals. The Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed it is providing consular assistance to the family members of the Irish citizen(s) involved.
Four British tourists are also feared to be among those missing. The yacht, named Sea Story, sank in the Red Sea following warnings about rough seas, as confirmed by Egyptian officials. The vessel was carrying 44 people, including 31 foreign nationals from the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Poland, Belgium, Switzerland, Finland, China, Slovakia, Spain, and Ireland, along with 14 crew members.
A spokesperson for the travel trade organization Abta mentioned that they are in contact with their members to determine if any customers were on the affected ship. It has emerged that a distress call was made from the yacht shortly before dawn on Monday. The vessel had departed from Marsa Alam for a five-day sailing trip.
Governor Hanafi stated that a high sea wave struck the vessel, causing it to capsize within about five to seven minutes. Some passengers were inside their cabins, which prevented them from escaping the boat. Hanafi ruled out a technical defect, noting that all required licenses had been obtained for the Sea Story. The Egyptian Meteorological Authority had warned of high waves in the Red Sea and advised against maritime activity on Sunday and Monday.
The yacht was operated by Dive Pro Liveaboard, based in Hurghada, Egypt. The company has not provided information on the incident. Rescue operations are being coordinated by the Egyptian military and the Red Sea Governorate, with armed forces aircraft deployed above the scene.
Marsa Alam is a popular destination for tourists on diving holidays due to its proximity to large coral reef areas. Last June, three Britons died when a diving boat caught fire off Marsa Alam, suspected to be caused by an electrical fault. Many tourist companies have since stopped or limited travel on the Red Sea due to regional conflicts.
