Crew of Sindbad submarine that sank in Hurghada, Egypt, questioned by police
The crew members on board a submarine that sank in the Red Sea and killed six people have been questioned by Egyptian authorities.
The bodies of six passengers were pulled to the coast of Hurghada, a city on the Red Sea coast, after ‘Sindbad’ capsized at around 10am yesterday.
Out of the six who died, two were children and all on board were Russian citizens, according to TASS news agency.
Anaesthetist Ravil Valiullin, 40, and his wife Kristina, 39, a children’s doctor, were killed on the vessel, while daughters – aged 10 and 15 – survived and are now in hospital.
Four other people are in a critical condition and are fighting for their lives in hospital. The cause of the incident is still unclear.
Red Sea governor Amr Hanafy said yesterday that the submarine had a valid licence and that the crew had all obtained the correct certificates.
According to the Association of Tour Operators of Russia, the submarine hit a reef and subsequently lost pressure at a depth of 20 metres.
The group on board had paid for a sea trip to inspect the coral reefs in the Red Sea, which is infested with sharks.
According to Sindbad Submarines’ website, the submarine has portholes which allow passengers to see the Red Sea’s coral reefs.
The area where it capsized was in front of the marina of one of the famous hotels in Hurghada.
Tourist trips have been run on the Sindbad for several years, but it is unclear if there are previous incidents on record.
Egypt has always been a popular holiday destination for Russians.
Hurghada is located to the south east of the capital Cairo, and is known for its coral reefs and beaches.
This is not the first time an incident like this has happened in the Red Sea.
In late November 2024, five people were found alive after a wave smashed into their yacht, causing it to capsize off Egypt’s Red Sea coast.
11 people died in the tragedy, when the boat, reportedly called ‘Sea Story’, was carrying 44 passengers when it capsized at around 5.30 am.
Survivors cited by local media say that the boat capsized in about five to seven minutes.
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