Latest news with #AmrHanafi
Ammon
02-07-2025
- General
- Ammon
4 dead, 3 missing after barge capsizes in Egypt's Gulf of Suez
Ammon News - Egyptian authorities confirmed on Wednesday that four people were killed after a barge capsized in the Gulf of Suez off Egypt's eastern coast. In a statement, the Health Ministry said that 22 injured people were rescued after the barge Adam Marine 12 sank on Tuesday night. Red Sea Governor Amr Hanafi, however, said that 23 people were injured in the accident, including two in critical condition. He said in televised statements that efforts were ongoing to search for three other missing people. Egypt's Ministry of Petroleum said on Tuesday that the barge had capsized in the Jabal Zeyt area of the Gulf of Suez off Egypt's eastern coast. The area is around 300 kilometers (190 miles) south of the Suez Canal, a major waterway linking Europe and Asia. Anadolu Agency
Al Jazeera
02-07-2025
- General
- Al Jazeera
Four dead, four missing after oil barge sinks in Gulf of Suez
An oil-drilling barge has sunk in the Gulf of Suez, killing at least four crew members and leaving four others unaccounted for. The Egyptian government said on Wednesday that 22 people were injured when the Adam Marine 12 sank the previous night in the Gebel el-Zeit area in the Gulf of Suez. The barge was being towed to a new location when it capsized, Egyptian media reported. Four of the injured people were airlifted to hospital, with 18 others transported by ambulance, Egypt's Ministry of Health said on social media. The Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources posted pictures of Minister Karim Badawi visiting survivors in El Gouna hospital in Hurghada on Wednesday, accompanied by Labour Minister Mohammed Jibran and Red Sea Governor Amr Hanafi. Hanafi said ships from the Egyptian navy joined the search-and-rescue efforts for the missing crewmen. Gebel el-Zeit is a major Egyptian oil production site about 300km (186 miles) south of the Suez Canal.
Al Jazeera
31-03-2025
- Al Jazeera
Six killed in tourist submarine sinking off Egypt: What we know
A tourist submarine sank on Thursday during a routine underwater sightseeing tour off the coast of Hurghada, a popular Red Sea resort city in Egypt, killing at least six Russian nationals on board. The vessel, owned by a private tourism company, Sindbad Submarines, was designed to take tourists underwater to view coral reefs and marine life – a major attraction in the area. Here's what we know about what happened, about those on board – and why the submarine might have sunk. Neither Egyptian nor Russian officials have attributed any specific reason for the vessel's sinking, and investigations are continuing. But the Association of Tour Operators in Russia posted on Telegram that the submarine had struck a reef about 20 metres (65 feet) below the surface of the sea and then began to lose pressure. Water pushes from high-pressure to low-pressure regions, so if the inside of the vessel lost pressure, the likelihood of the seawater flooding in would have risen. Despite crew efforts to surface and evacuate passengers, the vessel quickly sank at about 10am (08:00 GMT).According to authorities, the vessel sank approximately 1km (0.6 miles) off the shore of Hurghada, Egypt. Hurghada lies about 480km (300 miles) southeast of the Egyptian capital, Cairo. The Red Sea is a major hub for Egypt's tourism industry – in turn a vital pillar of the country's economy. Russian tourists make up a growing portion of visitors. According to Egyptian statistics, about 380,000 Russian tourists visited Hurghada between January and August 2024. However, Egypt's Red Sea resort towns have also witnessed boating accidents in recent years. In June 2024, two dozen French tourists were rescued after their boat capsized near Marsa Alam, another popular destination. Five months later, in November, 30 people were rescued from a sinking boat near Daedalus Reef, about 90km (56 miles) from Marsa Alam. The Sindbad vessel was carrying 50 people – 45 tourists and 5 Egyptian crew members – at the time of the incident, Red Sea Governor Amr Hanafi said in a statement. Russia's consulate in Hurghada also confirmed the submarine was carrying 45 tourists. Among the tourists were nationals from Russia, Norway, Sweden and India. Six people died, including four adults and two children, all of whom were identified as Russian nationals by Hanafi. Authorities have not released all of their names pending notification of relatives, but Russian media confirmed that the victims included members of the same family who had been holidaying in Egypt. Egyptian officials suggested a married doctor couple were also among those who died. All of the remaining 39 tourists and five crew members have been rescued – no one is missing. But among them, 29 individuals sustained injuries. While most injuries were categorised as nonlife-threatening, such as bruises, cuts, and mild hypothermia, four individuals remain in critical condition and are in the intensive care unit, according to Hanafi. The Sindbad submarine had operated as a tourist attraction for several years. According to the company, it was 'one of only 14 real recreational submarines worldwide and the only one in Africa and the Arab world'. The submarines are engineered in Finland to sustain underwater pressure up to 75 metres (246 feet). 'In an emergency, oxygen masks are located overhead and life vests under the seats,' the website reads. Designed for both adults and children, the tours allow passengers to descend to depths of 25 metres (82 feet) for a 40-minute underwater journey. The company highlights its more than 25 years of experience in marine tourism. According to survivors, water flooded the vessel and passengers scrambled to reach the surface. Elena Boldareva said the submarine began to dive with hatches open, according to the UK's Daily Mirror newspaper. People saved themselves as best they could, Boldareva said, adding: 'Some managed to swim out, some didn't.' Boldareva and her husband managed to swim out, but her daughter and mother were taken to hospital in serious condition. They were among the dozens transferred to Hurghada General Hospital for treatment and further observation. Egyptian authorities responded quickly to the incident, launching an emergency search and rescue operation led by the Red Sea governorate and the Egyptian coastguard. Divers were dispatched to the site within the hour, and several boats assisted in bringing survivors to shore. Hanafi said the submarine had all the required licences and had passed technical inspections, and that investigations with crew members were under way to determine the cause of the sinking. Sindbad Submarines is part of a rapidly expanding underwater tourism industry across the world. The industry, which focuses on scuba diving and undersea reef exploration – including in submarines and submersibles – was estimated to be worth $36bn in 2017 and is believed to have only grown since then. A series of companies today advertise underwater tours in submarines and submersibles – underwater vessels that need a larger platform to transport them. But some experts have warned that regulations for the industry are struggling to keep up with its growth. In June 2023, the Titan, a privately owned submersible, went missing off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada, with five people on board. They included four tourists and the founder of OceanGate, the company that owned the vessel. Debris from the submersible was found four days later, and investigators concluded that the vessel had imploded, killing all five passengers. The incident has raised concerns about tourism safety standards in Egypt, especially for popular Red Sea excursions like diving, snorkelling and underwater tours. Many tourist companies have either halted or limited travelling on the Red Sea due to the dangers from conflicts in the region. Sindbad Submarines, which operates two tourist submarines out of Hurghada, has not yet made a statement on the incident. The website was temporarily down but appears to be up and running again.
Al-Ahram Weekly
27-03-2025
- Al-Ahram Weekly
UPDATED: Six dead, 9 injured in tourist submarine sinking off Egypt Red Sea coast - Tourism
At least six people were killed and nine others injured when a tourist submarine sank off Egypt's Red Sea coast near Hurghada early on Thursday, authorities said. The submarine was carrying 50 people, including five Egyptian crew members and 45 foreign tourists of Russian, Indian, Norwegian, and Swedish nationalities. Following a visit to the survivors of the incident, Governor of the Red Sea Amr Hanafi stated the governorate's operations room received an alert that a tourist submarine sank in a marina near a hotel. The governor added that the operations room immediately dispatched emergency services teams and 21 ambulances to the incident site for search and rescue. Rescue teams transported 29 injured individuals to five hospitals: Hurghada General, Al-Masry Private, Al-Kawthar Private, Royal Private, and Al-Aseel Private. Four of the injured remain in critical condition in the ICU. The rest of the injured sustained lacerations, bruises, and abrasions and are in respiratory distress and are receiving necessary medical attention. The six fatalities were identified as Russian nationals by the Egyptian authorities. The remaining survivors were transported to their hotels after receiving medical attention. Authorities confirmed that there were no missing persons. The submarine was operated by Sindbad Submarines, a company with years of experience offering underwater excursions in the Hurghada region. According to its website, the firm advertises that it owns two of the world's only 14 recreational submarines. The vessel can accommodate 44 passengers and two pilots and features a large circular viewing window for each passenger. According to the website, it descends up to 25 metres, allowing passengers to observe a 500-metre-long stretch of coral reef and its associated marine life. Governor Hanafi stated that a review established that Sindbad was operating with a valid license at the time of the incident. He added that the submarine's captain possessed the necessary academic accreditations from the Arab Academy for Science, Technology, and Maritime Transport. Hurghada is a popular tourist destination that is well-known for its beaches and vibrant coral reefs. Medical sources said four of the injured were in critical condition and receiving treatment at local hospitals, adding that 29 others were rescued. The Russian embassy in Egypt stated on Facebook that 45 Russian tourists, including children, were aboard the vessel and confirmed at least four fatalities. The submarine was operated by Sindbad Submarines, a company with years of experience offering underwater excursions in the Hurghada region. According to its website, the firm advertises that it owns two of only 14 recreational submarines worldwide. The vessel has a capacity of 44 passengers and two pilots, with a large circular viewing window for each passenger. It descends up to 25 metres, allowing passengers to observe a 500-metre coral reef and marine life stretch. In November 2024, a tourist boat named Sea Story sank near Hurghada, leaving 11 people dead or missing and 35 survivors, according to BBC. This February, another tourist boat carrying six crew members capsized off Jabal Al-Zayt, north of Hurghada, but all six were rescued. Hurghada is a popular tourist destination that is well-known for its beaches and vibrant coral reefs. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Chicago Tribune
27-03-2025
- Chicago Tribune
At least 6 dead after submarine carrying tourists on a reef tour in Red Sea sinks off Egypt
CAIRO — A recreational submarine taking 45 tourists on an underwater cruise of coral reefs in the Red Sea sank off the Egyptian resort town of Hurghada on Thursday, leaving six Russians dead, the provincial governor said. The remaining tourists, more than two dozen of whom were injured, were rescued, he said. The cause of the sinking was not immediately known. The Russian consulate said it took place about 1,000 meters (0.6 miles) offshore. The submarine was carrying 45 tourists and five Egyptian crewmembers when it sank, Red Sea governor Maj. Gen. Amr Hanafi, said in a statement, adding that rescue teams were quickly sent. He said all six dead were Russians, and that 29 of the 39 tourists rescued were injured and taken to hospitals. No one was still missing from the vessel, he said. Hurghada is a major destination for divers, snorkelers and other tourists drawn by the Red Sea's extensive coral reefs. The submarine, named 'Sindbad,' runs tours lasting about 40 minutes underwater, cruising at about 20-25 meters (65-80 feet) underwater with panoramic windows on the bottom to give views of the marine life, according to the website of the company that the Russian consulate identified as running the vessel. The company did not respond to phone calls seeking comment. Russia's Tass news agency earlier said the Russian dead included at least two children, citing the country's consul in Hurghada. The consulate had said all 45 tourists on board were Russian, but the Egyptian governor said they also included Indian, Norwegian and Swedish citizens. Footage posted by the governor's office showed Hanafy meeting survivors at the hospital, including two Egyptian crewmembers. One Russian tourist had a small bandage on his head. A family with two young daughters smiled and told him they were OK. An Indian man asked Hanafy to see his daughter, who remains in critical condition, doctors can be heard explaining. In November, a tourist yacht sank in the Red Sea after warnings of rough waters, Egyptian officials said. At least four people drowned, while 33 were rescued. Tourism is an important sector of Egypt's economy but many tourist companies have stopped or limited traveling on the Red Sea due to the dangers from conflicts in the region.
