Everything we know so far after tourist submarine sinks leaving 6 people dead
A submarine thought to be carrying 45 tourists sank in the Red Sea earlier today, and here is everything we know so far about the disaster.
The ordeal has claimed the lives of six people, while 39 people have been rescued.
Making the situation event more heartbreaking, two of the six people said to have died are believed to be children.
Those onboard the vessel at the time were not all Egyptian nationals, it has been confirmed.
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Where did the submarine tragedy happen?
A tourist submarine called the Sindbad sank off the coast of the popular holiday destination Hurghada, Egypt, around 10am local time.
The city is a major destination for divers, snorkelers and other tourists drawn by the Red Sea’s extensive coral reefs.
Those onboard the submarine are believed to have boarded as it was stationed in front of the marina of one of the famous hotels of the popular vacation spot.
The submarine runs one to three-hour tours, usually cruising at about 20-25 meters underwater with panoramic windows on the bottom to give views of the marine life, according to the website of the company that the Russian consulate identified as running the vessel, PA reports.
The submarine proceeded to sink less than a kilometer from the shore.
Who was onboard the submarine?
It's believed that 46 people were onboard the vessel when it sank. This number included five Egyptians, as well as nationals from Russia, Norway, Sweden and India.
Elsewhere, the Russian consulate claimed that all passengers were from Russia.
Six people have died in the ordeal, two of whom are reportedly children. All of the deceased helmed from Russia.
39 people have been rescued, says BBC News, and no one has been reported missing. 29 of the 39 holidaymakers were taken to hospital to be treated to injuries.
The victims are yet to be publicly named.
How did the submarine sink?
At the time of writing, it is unclear how the submersible sank.
It's believed the weather was calm at the time of the incident, therefore it's unlikely to have been a contributing factor.
A Telegram post from the Association of Tour Operators of Russia has suggested that the submarine hit a reef and lost pressure, but this is currently unconfirmed, the BBC reports.
Egyptian authorities are conducting investigations with crew members to determine the causes of the submarine sinking. It's also been confirmed by the Red Sea Governor that the vessel, as well as its captain, had a valid licenses.
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Topics: World News, Travel
Niamh Shackleton