Three tourists from the UK were said to be missing after a fire on board dive boat Hurricane on the Egyptian Red Sea. Of the 29 people on board, 26, including 12 from the UK, were rescued. The vessel was off the coast of Marsa Alam when the fire broke out around dawn on Sunday morning June 11th. Initial reports blamed the blaze on an electrical fault.
The boat had been on a dive cruise. it had left Port Ghalib on June 6th and had been due to return on Sunday.
The boat is operated by Tornado Marine Fleet, which said that 15 British passengers had been on board, along with 12 crew members and two guides. The local authority, the Red Sea Governorate, had previously provided different numbers.
The local authority said initial examinations had found an electrical short circuit in the engine room. The Hurricane is one of several vessels operated by Tornado Marine Fleet.
A spokesman said the fire happened while crew were doing the diving briefing at Elphinstone Reef – a diving destination known for its wealth of marine life including colourful corals and sharks. Scuba Travel, which chartered the boat, said the group on board had been on a seven-day tour and the company was working with the local authorities and specialist advisers.