Six people have died after a tourist submarine operated by Sindbad sank in the Red Sea near Hurghada, Egypt, at approximately 10:00 local time (08:00 GMT) on March 27. The cause of the sinking remains unclear, but the incident has reignited concerns over Egypt’s lax maritime safety standards, shoddy equipment, and lack of effective emergency response measures.
Two of the casualties are children, another couple has died, leaving their surviving children orphaned.
A local Egyptian guide told Green Prophet, neglect was the reason: “It is dilapidated and not maintained. The glass window [was] broken and [the sub was] 20 meters deep,” when the accident happened, he said.
Local reports say the sub was out less than a mile when the accident happened. All the tourists were Russian.
Egypt’s waters have been the site of numerous maritime disasters in recent years, particularly among the diving and tourism industry, where safety protocols are often ignored, and equipment maintenance is subpar. Past incidents, such as the 2022 sinking of the Carlton Queen dive boat and the 2021 fire aboard the diving vessel Heaven One, highlight a troubling trend in Egypt’s Red Sea tourism sector, where safety takes a back seat to profit.
Eleven people died in November, 2024 in the Sea Story incident when a dive boat sank and to this day no one knows the real cause or why the Egyptian Navy failed to rescue people quickly as the boat bobbed above the water for 2 days. We have a survivor story here.
In this latest incident, authorities confirmed that six tourists died, while 39 others were rescued. The victims included a married couple who were both doctors, with their two children now recovering in the hospital.
What Went Wrong?
Survivors have given conflicting accounts of what caused the accident. One Russian tourist, Ekaterina, told Russian outlet Ren TV that as passengers were boarding the submarine, water began pouring in due to two open hatches. She described it as if the vessel had fallen from its mooring, sending it plunging underwater before anyone could react. Other reports suggest the submarine may have hit a reef at a depth of 20 meters, causing it to lose pressure and take on water rapidly.
Compounding the disaster, the Sindbad company—responsible for the vessel—has provided little information. All upcoming submarine tours have been canceled pending an investigation, but for many, this response is too little, too late. Critics argue that Egyptian authorities should have enforced stricter safety protocols long ago, preventing such tragedies from occurring in the first place.
Tourists who have previously taken Sindbad submarine tours are now speaking out about the concerning lack of safety protocols. British tourist Roy Gillson, who was on a trip just last week, admitted, “Looking back, we had no safety drill whatsoever.” Another tourist stated that a recorded safety briefing was played, but there was no real enforcement of emergency procedures.
One reviewer posting on TripAdvisor said in October 2024: “‘They also ‘big up’ the qualifications of the captain. “But constantly bumping the sub on the sea floor is not good for the sea life, sea floor, my sanity of ultimately I’d say the sub!”
This aligns with broader issues in Egypt’s diving and maritime tourism sector. I have interviewed about 10 people connected to the Sea Story tragedy and all confirmed lack of functioning safety gear. Many operators in Egypt cut corners to maximize profits, resulting in poorly maintained vessels, inadequate crew training, and ineffective emergency response capabilities. Unlike in countries with stringent maritime regulations, Egypt lacks a dedicated, well-equipped rescue infrastructure, leaving victims to rely on often ill-prepared local resources when disasters strike.
Even going on a low-key boat trip can be dangerous in Egypt. One reader sent us this story about boating with children.
Egyptian authorities have launched an investigation, but many fear it will be yet another superficial review with little real impact. In previous maritime accidents, accountability has been rare, and companies often resume operations with minimal consequences.
As one survivor put it, “This could have been prevented. How many more people have to die before they take safety seriously?”
Egypt relies heavily on tourism as a key sector of its economy. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, tourism contributed about 12% to Egypt’s GDP and was one of the country’s largest sources of foreign currency. The industry also provided jobs for around 10% of Egypt’s workforce, directly and indirectly supporting millions of people.
Tourism revenue fluctuates based on global events, security concerns, and economic conditions. In 2019, Egypt earned $13 billion from tourism, but the pandemic caused a sharp decline in 2020. However, the industry has been recovering, especially with the rise in visitors to historic sites like the Pyramids, Luxor, and the Red Sea resorts.
To reduce dependence on tourism, Egypt has been investing in infrastructure, manufacturing, and its Suez Canal revenues. But the Houthi Yemeni terrorism has also taken a toll on Egypt’s shipping routes in this regard. Some people are turning to the Red Sea Islands in Saudi Arabia as an alternative but the prices there can’t match the affordability in Sinai and Egypt.
