The shocking sinking of a tourist submarine in Egypt that claimed the lives six people yesterday bore chilling echoes of another catastrophe in the same spot just over a decade ago.
A German family-of-three tragically died after their submarine with a glass bottom crashed into a reef off the coast of the Egyptian town of Hurghada – where yesterday’s submarine disaster unfolded – in February 2012.
The crash caused the glass partition to shatter, with water gushing into the vessel and drowning the parents and their child.
The other 13 tourists onboard, all of different nationalities, thankfully survived. Four of them were taken to hospital to be treated for injuries, local media reported at the time.
This week’s tragedy saw the Sindbad submarine, which had dozens of tourists onboard, dive with its hatches still open, according to witnesses.
At least six Russians, including two children, were killed, while 39 people have been rescued so far, nine of whom suffered injuries.
The 2012 incident caused worry among tourists over safety standards in Egypt, with one traveller writing in a TripAdvisor review for Sindbad Submarines – whose vessel sank yesterday – shortly after that they had not been told about the February sinking.
‘This was obviously kept from us and had we known, we wouldn’t have gone. Not sure how their “Health and Safety” works out there, but if it were in Europe or the US, the operation would be shut down pending a lengthy enquiry’, they added.
The rescue site for a sunken tourist submarine in Red Sea off the coast of Hurghada, Egypt
The Sindbad submarine sank yesterday afternoon
An aerial view on Hurghada town located on the Red Sea coast, Egypt
The company responded at the time, writing: ‘Although the accident which you write about was very tragic, I can assure you that health and safety issues work just like in any other country in the world and this company, which was a Semi – Submarine (glass bottom boat) is now not in operation anymore!
‘We are proud to have a clear track record and over the 16 years of operation in Hurghada, we Sindbad Submarines have never had any accidents or incidents. We are yearly inspected by several international agencies like TUV and ABS Europe and are the only real Submarines in the Arab World & North Africa.’
There is no suggestion the 2012 incident and the 2025 incidents – which both happened off Hurghada but in different submarines – are linked.
But the Red Sea has long been a hotbed of lax safety regulations as well as dangerous and aggressive wildlife, with British tourists now voicing fears that they are being put in danger by their Egyptian guides.
According to the UK government‘s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB), 16 accidents have occurred involving liveaboard dive vessels operating in the Red Sea over the last five years.
These vessels should be designed to allow tourists to safely live on them for long stretches of time while they take part in scuba diving trips.
But the MAIB pointed out to poor construction, bad modifications and extensions on the boats that left them in an unstable state. On top of this, essential lifesaving and firefighting equipment was found to be defective or missing, and crews were reported to be poorly trained in safety.
These faults seen on vessels across the Red Sea have lead to several tragedies that have resulted in major losses of life.
At least five Russians, including two children, were killed, and at least nine people were injured
But it’s not just dodgy boats tourists have to fear in the Red Sea. The watery inlet is also home to a plethora of deadly, aggressive animals that are known to attack human beings.
In December, Gianluca Di Gioia, 48, from Rome, had been snorkelling at a beach located in front of the glamorous Red Sea Sataya Resort on the coast of Marsa Alam with his friend when he was mauled by a tiger shark.
As for yesterday’s Sindbad sinking, details are still emerging.
Last night, tourist Elena Boldareva revealed she and her husband were fortunate to be able to swim out of the tourist submersible as water began pouring, she said.
Her daughter and mother were taken to hospital in serious condition, among the 39 rescued after it sank this morning.
‘Some managed to swim out, some didn’t,’ she said. Boldareva described how people tried to save themselves as best they could while tourists on boats nearby rushed to pull people out of the water.
One survivor, who was not named, gave a similar recollection to Russian outlet Mash.
‘When my family and I were standing on a pontoon and were about to board the submarine, the submarine suddenly started to sink, even though the hatches were open,’ she said.
‘The man who was responsible for loading shouted “stop, stop, stop” and started pushing us back towards the pontoon.’
She claimed the submarine began to descend before everyone was on board.
The harrowing suggestion that the hatch had been left open came as warnings from other holidaymakers emerged, sharing how past experiences left them shaken.
A Tripadvisor user from Bridgend claimed: ‘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!’
Holidaymaker Alexander S said he would not recommend the experience. ‘The submarine hit the rocks/ corals several times and swirled the sand etc up,’ he wrote on Tripadvisor.
The submarine has been operating for several years (file image)
Another user added: ‘This is a big scam. Boarding is unsafe. We hardly saw anything.’
Eugenia M said: ‘I take full blame for trusting a scam, but honestly, that’s exactly what this tour felt like.
‘I still can’t wrap my head around how someone can knowingly take your money and risk your safety.’
One British holidaymaker also revealed how they were on the doomed Sindbad submarine just days before it sank off the coast of Egypt.
Kelly Collins, 32, said she would never go on a submarine again after learning how tourists were killed this morning.
The HGV driver, from Wigan, said that she and her partner, Sharon, 54, booked a dive in the submarine only on Monday after seeing it advertised on social media.
She said they spent around 40 minutes in the submarine and some 25 metres under the surface before returning to land by boat.
‘I’m shocked, saddened and in disbelief to hear the news about the poor people on the submarine,’ she said today. ‘I think this has put me off submarines.’
Ms Collins said that the experience began with a 30-minute boat ride out to a docking platform before getting into the submarine.
A husband and wife named as Ravil Valiullin, 40, and Kristina, 39, were reportedly on board the vessel when it sank
The pair’s daughters aged ten and 15, who were also reportedly on board the doomed vessel have survived the ordeal
An ambulance and a police vehicle stand in front of The Egyptian Hospital in Hurghada, Egypt, 27 March 2025
‘The submarine trip was 40 minutes approximately and then a 30-minute boat ride back to the shore,’ she said.
The tours are advertised to holidaymakers visiting the region, a destination popular with Brits.
Tom McDowell, 63 from Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland, also paid for the experience while holidaying with family last year.
His wife, Violet, 69, didn’t go onboard as she thought it would be too ‘claustrophobic’. Tom was one of around 40 others who got inside then fully booked 30 metre long sub.
The food manufacturer from Carrickfergus, in Northern Ireland, said he was ‘nervous’ at the thought of getting into the submarine but said he felt at ‘ease’ as the set up was ‘all very professional’.
He said: ‘I was shocked when I read the news that it has sunk – my heart goes out to the victims.
Tom said since hearing the news he ‘will not’ be stepping foot on a submarine again: ‘You don’t even think about something going wrong when it is your turn but accidents happen.’
The tourist submarine, named Sindbad, had been carrying around 45 international passengers when it sank this morning, according to the regional governor. Initial reports had identified 44.
Tom McDowell’s family on board Sinbad submarine in 2024. He said he would never go on a submarine again after learning of today’s tragedy off the coast of Hurghada
Hurghada is a popular tourist destination for Brits and Germans and several nautical jaunts operate from the coast
Rescue services have so far managed to save 39 people, according to a statement released by the Red Sea governorate.
Red Sea area governor Amr Hanafy wrote on Facebook that none of the on board are unaccounted for. He said there were 45 foreign passengers on board, plus five Egyptians.
Moscow‘s embassy in Cairo reported previously that all passengers were Russian, with four of its citizens among the deceased.
However, Hanafy said the passengers were from Russia, India, Norway and Sweden.
He said that the six killed were Russian. Earlier reports had cited five.
Some 21 ambulances were dispatched to the scene of the incident, and have been transporting the injured to local hospitals including Al-Kawthar, due to the severity of their conditions.
A post from the Russian embassy read: ‘On March 27, around 10:00, at a distance of 1 km from the shore, an accident of the submersible ‘Sindbad’, belonging to the hotel of the same name occurred.
‘The submersible carried out a regular underwater excursions with inspection of the coral reef.
‘In addition to crew members, there were 45 tourists on board, including minors. All of them are Russian citizens, tourists of the company ‘Biblio Globus’ (the host tour company in Egypt – ‘Biblio globus Egypt Tours’).
‘According to initial data, most of the passengers on board were rescued and taken to their hotels and hospitals in Hurghada.
‘Their health is not a cause for concern. Four people have been killed. The fate of several tourists is being determined.
‘Diplomats of the General Consulate are on the pier of the ‘Sindbad’ hotel’.
Russian media later reported that 38 people had been rescued, at least one child was orphaned by the disaster and the parents of a girl in hospital were killed. These reports have not yet been confirmed.
The submarine had embarked off one of the beaches in the tourist promenade area, Egyptian officials who did not want to be named told AP.
The passengers had been out on a sea trip to see Egypt’s coral reefs and tropical fish before the vessel, which can dive to depths of up to 72ft, sank.
The submarine has been operating tourist trips in Hurghada for several years.
According to the operator, Sharm Hurghada Excursions, the underwater tour is three-hours long and costs £68 per adult ticket, and £35 for children.
According to the Russian embassy in Egypt, the Sindbad submarine belonged to the Hurghada resort hotel of the same. Pictured: Sindbad Club Hotel in Hurghada, Egypt
Passengers who had travelled on an Egyptian tourist boat which left three Brits missing when it caught fire claimed it had ‘reoccurring issues’ in June 2023
The company boasts its excursions allow visitors to admire Hurghada’s underwater life and extensive coral reef, enjoy a diving experience while staying dry, and see life underwater at a depth of 72ft.
It also claims it holds two of the only ’14 real recreational submarines’ in the world.
The website for Sindbad Submarines continues: ‘It offers 44 passenger seats – two pilots’ seats and a sizable round viewing window for each passenger.’
The cause and circumstance of the sinking have not yet been confirmed or reported.
Hurghada is a popular tourist destination for Brits and Germans and several nautical jaunts operate from the coast.
This is not the first time an incident involving tourist boats has occurred in the waters off the coastal city.
Passengers who had travelled on an Egyptian tourist boat which left three Brits missing in June 2023 when it caught fire claimed it had ‘reoccurring issues’.
People who had boarded the Hurricane, a Red Sea-based boat in Egypt, said they were ‘not surprised’ it had gone up in flames just a week after they left.
One diving enthusiast who stayed on the vessel in May of that year told MailOnline it was plagued with problems and there were ‘issues below decks’.
The cruiser left Port Ghalib in the eastern city of Marsa Alam on June 6, and was meant to return on June 11.
It was said to be one of the Tornado Marine Fleet tours, which offers ‘Luxury Red Sea Liveaboards’ for just under £1,500 per trip.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said at the time: ‘We are in contact with local authorities following an incident aboard a dive boat near Marsa Alam, and are supporting British nationals involved.’
In November last year, a tourist boat named Sea Story sank off Egypt’s Red Sea coast.
The boat sank near Shaab Satayah, a coral reef popular for diving trips, off the tourist resort of Marsa Alam in the early hours of November 25.
Those who escaped the vessel said a ‘high sea wave’ had hit it and caused it to capsize in ‘about five or seven minutes’, Red Sea Governor Amr Hanafi said at the time.
The incident occurred during rough weather conditions, with the Egyptian Red Sea Ports Authority reporting wave heights of 10 to 13 feet and wind speeds of 34 knots in the area, leading to the closure of maritime traffic.
The boat departed on a diving trip from the port of Ghalib in Marsa Alam on November 24 and was scheduled to arrive at Hurghada Marina on November 29.
Some of the survivors were reportedly flown back to shore by a helicopter to receive medical care, while others were transported via another boat.
UK investigators said last month there had been 16 incidents involving ‘liveaboard’ vessels in the area in the last five years, with a number resulting in deaths.
