Six Russians die after submarine sinks in the Red Sea

Six Russian tourists were reported dead after a submarine sunk in the Red Sea on Thursday, March 27, 2025.

The Guardian reports that there were 45 passengers onboard the submarine, five of whom are Egyptians.

39 of them were said to have been rescued with minor injuries.

The tourist submarine sank off the popular Egyptian Red Sea destination of Hurghada, according to local authorities.

Egypt’s Red Sea governorate confirmed the number and identity of the tourists who died.

It also confirmed the number of tourists who were rescued after the submarine sank off a beach in the tourist promenade area on Thursday.

It said there were no missing people in the wake of the rescue effort.

While speaking with reporters, Red Sea governor Amr Hanafi added that rescue teams were quickly sent.

Russia’s consulate in Hurghada confirmed the submarine, named “Sindbad”, was carrying “45 tourists” in addition to crew.

It gave the time of the crash (1 kilometre from the shore) as about 10am local time (08:00 GMT).

“Most of those on board were rescued and taken to their hotels and hospitals in Hurghada,” the consulate said.

It was not immediately clear what caused the submarine to sink.

This is so because weather conditions on Thursday were reportedly clear with optimum visibility underwater.

Egypt’s Akhbar Al-Youm newspaper said investigations into the cause of the incident were under way.

The submarine was equipped with large portholes to let passengers see the Red Sea’s spectacular corals and marine life.

It was also equipped to enable them to dive to a depth of 25 metres (82 feet), according to Sindbad Submarines’s website.

Located about 460 kilometres (280 miles) southeast of the Egyptian capital Cairo, Hurghada is a major destination for visitors to Egypt.

Many of these visitors are said to be Russian.

The area has been the site of several deadly accidents in recent years.

In November, a dive boat capsized off the coast of Marsa Alam, south of Hurghada, leaving four dead and seven missing.

Last June, two dozen French tourists were safely evacuated before their boat sank after storm damage.

In 2023, three British tourists died after a fire broke out on their yacht, engulfing their vessel in flames.

A United Nations report ranked Egypt first in Africa for tourism revenues in 2024 at $14.1bn, more than twice what it earns in Suez Canal revenues.

A tourist Dr James Aldridge, from Bristol, who took a trip on the submarine last month, told Al-Jazeera how tourists take a trip on the submarine:

First, tourists are taken out on a boat to the submarine, which is at a floating dock.

There are two entry points, he says, and the tourists then climb into the vessel.

Inside, he describes it as modern, clean, and well-maintained.

Once inside, the tourists sit down on a cushion next to their assigned window and watch a recorded safety briefing.

He says it wasn’t overcrowded.

They toured the reef for 40 minutes, and Aldridge says he “never felt unsafe”.

He says they never went to the depths of 25 metres that the company says is possible.

Divers who went alongside the submarine used fish food to attract marine life, so there would be more for the guests to see.

They were not issued life jackets, which is standard practice, and “at all times the staff were professional and knowledgeable”, he says.

He said he did not know yet what caused this submarine to sink.

But he questioned why these incidents are still happening frequently in that area.

The frequency of these tragedies raises questions about the security measures employed by the local authorities, especially by excursion companies.

Dr. Aldridge added that the Red Sea resort is a very popular tourist destination.

But according to him, this tragedy will deal a very, very heavy blow to the industry, which is a lifeline to the Egyptian economy.

Earlier, the Russian embassy in Egypt said all the passengers were Russian.

In a new update, the Red Sea area governor says six tourists are dead and 39 others have been rescued.

We are getting more information from the Red Sea governor, Amr Hanafy.

He says there were 45 passengers on board, plus five Egyptians.

The passengers were from Russia, India, Norway and Sweden. The six killed were Russians, he says.

There are no tourists missing, Amr Hanafy adds in an update on Facebook.

The authorities are investigating the cause of the accident, he says.

Hanafy praises the rescue teams involved in the incident, and says they will continue to coordinate with the relevant embassies and parties.

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