Horrifying footage has captured the moment a tourist submarine in Egypt sank into the Red Sea while its hatches were still open, with passengers still attempting to board. The tragedy, which occurred off the coast of Hurghada, resulted in the deaths of six people, including two children.
The Sindbad submarine, designed to take tourists on underwater excursions, had 45 passengers and five crew members aboard at the time of the incident. Authorities have since launched an investigation into the cause of the sinking, questioning the crew about the circumstances leading to the disaster.
Footage Shows the Submarine Sinking Before All Passengers Were Onboard
Disturbing footage taken moments before the accident shows tourists scrambling to board as the vessel unexpectedly begins to descend. Passengers can be heard screaming in panic, realizing the submarine is sinking before all hatches have been sealed.
One witness narrating the footage states, “We are already descending slowly,” while still standing atop the vessel. Moments later, chaos unfolds as water rushes in, trapping those inside. The camera is eventually submerged, capturing the harrowing moment as the sub disappears beneath the surface.
Survivors Claim the Sub Dived With Open Hatches
Some survivors have alleged that the submarine started its descent before ensuring the hatches were fully closed, allowing water to flood the vessel.
Regina, a tourist who had planned to board the sub with her two children, narrowly escaped the disaster.
“We were queuing to board when the submarine suddenly began sinking,” she recalled. “The Egyptian responsible for loading shouted, ‘Stop, stop!’ But no one inside could hear him.”
Realizing the danger, Regina and other passengers managed to scramble back onto the pontoon as the submarine sank beneath them.
“We pushed the children out first. I tried to swim away, terrified that the currents would drag me under the sub,” she said.
She described the tragedy as “a very big disaster” and confirmed that “the hatches were not battened down” when the vessel went down.
Russian Consulate Confirms Victims Were Russian Nationals
The Russian consulate in Hurghada has confirmed that all six victims were Russian citizens, including two young children, The Guardian reports. Several other passengers were rescued and transported to hospitals for treatment.
BBC details that authorities are now conducting a full investigation into the incident, focusing on whether safety protocols were ignored and why the vessel attempted to dive with open hatches.
The disaster has raised serious concerns about tourist submarine safety regulations in the region.
READ MORE
- Tourist submarine sinks with children onboard, killing at least six
- Trump signs executive order that will change future elections
