Three bodies found by rescue teams after tourist boat with Britons on board sinks off Egypt coast

Three bodies have been found following the sinking of a tourist boat off the Egyptian coast.

The boat, named Sea Story was carrying 31 tourists of various nationalities, including Britons, and 14 crew members.

Governor of the Red Sea region Amr Hanafi has said that three bodies have now been recovered and 13 people are still missing.

The nationalities of the bodies found have not yet been confirmed.

The boat sank near Shaab Satayah, a coral reef popular for diving trips, in the early hours of yesterday morning. 28 people so far have been rescued.

Two British tourists were saved, while another two Britons are among the missing, according to reports.

Egyptian military forces are co-ordinating operations “with a cruise ship that happened to be in the area” near Hurghada resort.

Hanafi said he has spoken with witnesses who have all said a “large wave” caused the yacht to sink within minutes.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

• At least 17 people missing as tourist boat sinks off the coast of Egypt
• British mum-of-four tragically dies while on holiday in Egypt
• Egypt travel update as Britons given new guidance on where they can go – plus a warning on ‘bandits and armed groups’

Some passengers were inside the cabins, “which is why they couldn’t get out of the boat”, he added in a statement on Facebook.

One of the two British tourists who were rescued said it was “pitch black and the water was all around us”.

“I tried to swim up but the current was so strong I felt like I was suffocating. What saved me was my life jacket that kept me on the surface until rescue teams arrived,” they added.

A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development office spokesperson said on Monday: “We are providing consular support to a number of British nationals and their families following an incident in Egypt and are in contact with the local authorities.”

Alongside the British nationals, the boat also had citizens from Ireland, US, Germany, Poland, Belgium, Switzerland, Finland, China, Slovakia and Spain.

A stress signal was received at 5.30am local time from the ship which left port on Saturday for a diving trip.

The survivors were found in the Wadi el-Gemal area south of Marsa Alam and rescued via helicopter.

The search was reportedly made more difficult due to bad weather, with the Egyptian Meteorological Authority issuing a warning on Saturday about turbulence and high waves on the Red Sea.