A planned tropical submarine tour for Egyptian marine sightseeing transformed into a disastrous event that triggered major emergency measures and horrified spectators and their accompanying families.
The planned submarine tour for parties of tourists at Hurghada turned into complete mayhem on Wednesday when the Red Sea resort town was supposed to provide a thrilling experience.
The Sindbad Submarines fleet operated the submarine tour in the area since many years providing dry coral reef exploration opportunities to visitors.
The Sindbad team began their day as they did during every usual work shift. The submarine tour process at the company starts at noon with registration then continues with a boat transportation to the submarine location.
The submarine immerses at 12:35 p.m. below 25 meters of sea water to investigate up to 500 meters of coral reef for 40 minutes.
Strategically placed round viewing windows in the seating area ensure optimal underwater vision during the underwater journey.
With emergency capabilities of oxygen masks alongside life vests the submarine provides underwater transportation to a maximum of 44 passengers.
It is described as a family-friendly experience suitable for all ages, marketed as “unforgettable” and “perfect for memory-making.”
A disaster occurred on March 27.
A submarine located at the marina of an established Hurghada hotel waited before taking its scheduled voyage with 44 passengers that included people from many countries.
The vessel encountered its first problems just before it set sail. Reports about a serious submarine problem started to emerge moments before midday.
The Red Sea Health Directorate together with the Egyptian Ambulance Authority reacted shortly after the incident started.
The two agencies activated their highest level of preparedness. Security and rescue personnel joined 21 dispatched ambulances at the scene to conduct a massive emergency operation.
Egyptian newspaper Al-Masry Al-Youm operated by local staff verified the rescue of 29 submarine passengers.
A total of nine survivors received injuries which left four of them in critical danger.
Russian embassy officials in Cairo revealed through official statements that every submarine occupant was a citizen of Russia.
“All tourists who were on board the sunken submarine are citizens of the Russian Federation,” the embassy stated, though it withheld names pending family notifications.
The management from Sindbad Submarines remains silent about the tragic incident. UNILAD attempted to obtain comments from the company yet the business provided no official statement at the time of this record.
Numerous individuals struggle to understand how this tour run by a prestigious recreational submarine company possessing two of only fourteen real recreational submarines worldwide could result in such disaster.
Credit: (Youtube/DNAIndiaNews)
The submarine company promotes itself as a dependable service that provides users with immersive access to underwater attractions of Egypt.
The investigation for both eyewitness testimonies and submarine technical failure root causes is ongoing under direction of Egyptian maritime safety officials.
The abrupt sinking of the submarine has sparked worries about the safety procedures and emergency planning methods used in Red Sea tourist sector development.
The lively coastal waters of Hurghada existing at peace only answer questions of investigation and mournful row despite their previous welcoming qualities to spectators.
Six individuals perished when authorities confirmed the tragic demise of the Sindbad submarine by stating these statistics as the worst news of that entire day.
Feature Image Credit: (Youtube/DNAIndiaNews)