What we know about Sindbad submarines that sank in Hurghada
A tourist submarine incident that sank off Egypt’s Red Sea coast, killing six Russian citizens, is now at the centre of a growing mystery over its safety record and the cause of the disaster.
‘Sindbad’, which operated off the marina in Hurghada, was transporting 45 Russians on an underwater excursion when the incident happened earlier this morning.
Questions are now being asked about what caused the vessel to sink – and the security measured around such tours.
What caused the ‘Sindbad’ to sink?
Dr Simon Boxall, from the National Oceanography Centre at Southampton University, speculated that the submarine could have started its descent with its hatches still open.
He told Metro: ‘We don’t know why there’s been an incident. We don’t know if it sank. We don’t know if it capsized.
‘All we know is there been an incident quite soon after it left port. It means there’s a possibility that the hatches were open.
‘You wouldn’t really shut the hatch until you’re ready to dive on the actual reef.’
This would have allowed water to flood into the lower deck of the vessel where passengers would have already been sitting.
An account from one of the 39 survivors, Elena Boldareva, supports this theory as she claimed that the vessel began to dive with its hatches still open.
Egyptian authorities have remained tightlipped about the case of the fatal incident, which has left two teenage girls orphaned after their parents both died.
Who are ‘Sindbad’ Submarines?
The sunken vessel is believed to be operated by Sindbad Submarines, and it is understood that it has been operating such trips for several years.
But not much has been revealed about that specific vessel in the last few hours after the incident.
Dr Boxall said there are about 20 such submarines worldwide, adding that they are ‘not uncommon’.
‘Generally speaking, they’ve got a very good safety record,’ he added.
‘Obviously, in this case, the safety record has gone wrong somewhere. The website says the vessel was engineered in Finland, which is an odd statement.
‘If it had been built in Finland, they would normally say, “built in Finland” and the Finnish have a very, very good safety record and do build incredibly good ships.
‘So, we don’t know exactly where it was built or how old it was when it went down.’
How much do Sindbad trips cost?
According to an online tourism website for Egypt, prices to go on the excursion with Sinbad start at £58 for one adult.
Children can join for £30, but infants go free.
Have any other tourist tragedies happened in the Red Sea?
Yes.
In late November 2024, five people were found alive after a freak wave smashed into their yacht, causing it to capsize off Egypt’s Red Sea coast.
11 people died in the tragedy, when the boat, reportedly called ‘Sea Story’, was carrying 44 passengers when it capsized at around 5.30 am.
Survivors cited by local media say that the boat capsized in about five to seven minutes.
One of the two British tourists who were rescued said it was ‘pitch black and the water was all around us.’
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