Four tourists killed in Red Sea submarine accident

CAIRO, March 27 (KUNA) -- Four foreign tourists died and nine others were injured after a submarine accident off the coast of Hurghada, Egypt, on Thursday.
According to the Russian Consulate in Hurghada, the Sinbad recreational submarine, operated by a hotel of the same name, sank approximately one kilometre from the shore during a diving excursion in a coral reef area.
"There were 45 tourists on board, including minors, all of whom were Russian citizens," the consulate said in a statement. "Four tourists drowned, and nine others sustained injuries. Most passengers were safely rescued and transported to hotels and hospitals in Hurghada, with no serious health concerns reported." Egyptian media reported that authorities had received a distress call regarding the sinking of a tourist submarine carrying passengers of multiple nationalities on an excursion to view the coral reefs beneath the Red Sea.
Egyptian officials have yet to release an official statement on the incident. (end) aff.sa