17 Missing After Newly-Built Tourist Yacht Capsizes During 5-Day Trip on the Red Sea

Mar. 15, 2025

Medics wait for possible survivors after a boat sank at a harbour in Marsa Alam, Red Sea Governorate, in Egypt on Nov. 25, 2024.Photo:STR/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

STR/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

More than a dozen people are missing after a tourist yacht capsized in the Red Sea, authorities said.

Egyptian officials said 31 passengers and 14 crew members were onboard theSea Storyon Monday, Nov. 25, when the boat sank near the coastal town of Marsa Alam, Egypt, according to theAssociated PressandBBC News.

The Red Sea governorate said it received a distress signal from the boat around 5:30 a.m. local time,The TelegraphandReutersreported.

So far, 28 people have been rescued, according to the reports. A search is underway for the 17 people who remain unaccounted for.

It is unclear what causedSea Storyto sink.

The local council in Marsa Alam said all 14 crew members were Egyptians, while the 31 tourists were British, Spanish, German, U.S., Slovakian, Swiss, Belgian, Polish, Norwegian, Irish, Finnish and Chinese nationals, according to the BBC.

TheSea Storyleft Porto Ghalib in Marsa Alam on Sunday, Nov. 24, and was expected to reach Hurghada Marina on Friday, Nov. 29,The Telegraphand Reuters reported.

Additionally, several tourist companies recently halted services in the Red Sea due to regional conflicts, according to the reports.

TheSea Storywas a four-deck vessel built in 2022 and registered in Safaga, Egypt, the boat’s maker,Dive Pro Liveaboardsaid.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

According to the boatmaker’s website, theSea Storyhad life jackets in each cabin, and two safety rafts onboard that could carry 25 people each.

Dive Pro Liveaboard did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

source: people.com