Friday, August 21, 2015

27 French Tourists and 10 Egyptian Crew Members Rescued in Egypt after Ship Hits Coral Reef in Abu Diab area






AUGUST 20, 2015

Written by AdminSailor 

CAIRO, EGYPT

Egyptian authorities rescued 27 French tourists and 10 Egyptian crew members on Thursday morning after their boat ran aground on a coral reef off the coast of the Red Sea city of Marsa Alam in southern Egypt. 

The 27 French tourists were aboard the ship sailing from the town of Porto Ghaleb to Marsa Alam on a diving excursion, when the vessel hit a coral reef in Abu Diab area, causing damage to the boat, the Egyptian Interior Ministry said in a statement. 

The crew sent a distress alert and all of the tourists and the 10 crew members were rescued, according to the state-run MENA news agency, which cited a security official who confirmed that no one was harmed and everyone returned safely to their residences at the port in Safaga. 

The spot in the Red Sea where the accident took place is famous for its coral reefs and year-long warm waters, which attract many diving enthusiasts.