Survivor on doomed Red Sea tourist sub shares cause of tragedy as first victims revealed

Six tourists are dead, including children, after a pleasure submarine sank off the Egyptian coast, and a traumatised survivor reveals what may have caused the disaster.

A doomed submarine that sank in the Red Sea dived with its hatches still open, a traumatised survivor has revealed.

Six people are dead and 39 have been rescued after the Sindbad pleasure submarine sank off the coast of the resort city of Hurghada while full of Russian tourists.

Dozens of holiday-makers were on board the vessel which sank about a kilometre off the Egyptian coast on Thursday morning, local time.

Authorities claimed six people had died. The Red Sea governor confirmed all six who died are Russian citizens.

Sadly, two of the dead are children, The Sun reports.

A Sindbad pleasure submarine like the one that has sunk off the Egyptian coast. Picture: Instagram

Survivor Elena Boldareva said the submarine sank because it dived with its hatches open.

She said that “some managed to swim out, some didn’t” as people tried to save themselves.

Ms Boldareva’s daughter and mother were taken to hospital in a serious condition.

The Mirror reports that anaesthetist Ravil Valiullin, 40, and his wife Kristina, 39, a children’s doctor, died on the vessel, leaving their two young children orphans.

He worked at the Urussu Central Regional Hospital in Russia’s central region of Tatarstan with his wife.

Their two daughters are in hospital, authorities confirmed.

Twenty-nine people were pulled from the shark-infested waters, but nine were injured, including four who have been left fighting for their lives in a critical condition.

Russian media reported there were 15 children on board.

A family that survived the tourist submarine sinking off the Red Sea coast, in a hospital room in Hurghada, Egypt. Picture: Red Sea Governorate via AP

Red Sea governor Amr Hanafi (C) visiting a hospitalised tourist. Picture: Red Sea Governorate Media office / AFP

Survivors have been taken back to their hotels while the injured have been taken to hospital.

It is not yet clear the ratio of tourists to crew members in the vessel – which is claimed to be one of only 14 real recreational submarines in the world.

The submarine has room for 44 passengers and two pilots, with a round viewing window for each person on board.

An investigation has now been launched by Egyptian authorities.

Many of the passengers were staying at Sindbad hotel – which owned and operated the submarine under the brand Sindbad Submarines.

Boats search for survivors off the coast of the Egyptian Red Sea destination of Hurghada, Egypt. Picture: AP

Tourists are typically taken up to 85 feet below the surface of the Red Sea for 40 minutes.

Footage from promotional videos show the passengers being sealed into the submarine cabin where they sit on benches along each side of the cabin to view colourful sea-life and spectacular corals.

The tours are popular with families with children.

The Sindbad submarine was carrying 45 tourists as it made a 40-minute journey to view a coral reef.

The Russian embassy in Cairo confirmed the accident involved its nationals.

A statement said: “On March 27, at about 10:00, the Sindbad bathyscaphe, owned by the hotel of the same name, crashed 1km off the shore. […] In addition to the crew, there were 45 tourists on board, including minors. All of them are Russian citizens.

“Most of those on board were rescued and taken to their hotels and hospitals in Hurghada.

“Their health condition is not a concern. Four people died. The fate of several tourists is being clarified.”

Holidaymakers left some prophetic reviews of the Sindbad submarine tour just months before it is believed to have hit the reef.

The sub is believed to have hit a reef. Picture: Instagram

According to a Telegram post from the Association of Tour Operators of Russia, “unconfirmed reports” believe the submarine hit a reef and lost pressure at 20 metres.

A TripAdvisor review from a holiday in October said: “they also ‘big up’ the qualifications of the captain.

“But constantly bumping the sub on the sea floor is not good for the sea life, sea floor, my sanity or ultimately I’d say the sub!”

Most of the tourists killed were Russian. Picture: Instagram

Hurghada is a popular tourist destination for Europeans but it has previously been the scene of tragedy.

A German couple and their child drowned in a submarine accident off Hurghada in 2021.

Thirteen other tourists of different nationalities were rescued after the sub reportedly crashed into a coral reef.

The potential risk of private submarines was brought sharply into focus when the 2023 Titan sub disaster shocked the world after a custom-built submersible imploded as it dived the wreck of the doomed Titanic.

A frantic but ultimately futile search was launched for the sub – but all five on board were killed instantly in the horror implosion.

Originally published as Survivor on doomed Red Sea tourist sub shares cause of tragedy as first victims revealed