Twenty-eight rescued after tourist boat carrying 45 sinks off coast of Marsa Alam in Egypt

Search is under way for those still missing

Officials said the vessel, Sea Story, sank near the Ras Satayeh coral reef north of Marsa Alam. Photo: Red Sea Governorate

Twenty-eight tourists were rescued after a boat carrying 45 passengers sank during a diving trip off Egypt's Red Sea coastal town of Marsa Alam on Monday, provincial authorities said.

The rescued foreigners were taken to hospital by helicopter, according to the governor of Red Sea province.

Thirty-one tourists and 14 crew members were reported missing earlier after municipal authorities received a distress signal from the boat.

Officials said the vessel, Sea Story, sank near the Ras Satayeh coral reef, north of Marsa Alam. It had departed from Porto Ghalib on Sunday and was due to return to Hurghada Marina on November 29.

Search and rescue operations were continuing for those remaining missing, with the navy and air force taking part, the governor's office said.

The incident comes a few months after a tourist boat capsized on the Nile River, killing five and injuring nine including several Saudi citizens.

Egypt's Red Sea resorts and beaches are popular with tourists, but the country has a mixed record on transportation safety.