A crew member has reportedly died after the Red Sea liveaboard Sea Spirit sank off Ras Ghareb in Egypt’s Gulf of Suez on Tuesday, 14 July.
The 27m vessel was carrying five crew members and no passengers when it issued a distress call after taking on water near Gebel El Zeit.
Marine rescue units dispatched by the Gulf of Suez Petroleum Company (GUPCO) and the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation responded to the call and recovered the crew.
Initial reports from Egyptian media stated that all five crew members had been rescued without injury. However, subsequent reports from the Red Sea Governorate and local media said that one crew member later died after being taken ashore.
Local media, citing medical sources, reported that the crew member died after suffering an electric shock during the incident. Authorities have not released the identity of the deceased or confirmed the reported cause of death.
The cause of the sinking has not been established. Egyptian authorities have opened an investigation into the incident, with mechanical failure and flooding among the possible causes under consideration.
Sea Spirit, operated by Hurghada-based Luxury Divers, is a Red Sea liveaboard accommodating up to 15 guests, although the liveaboard was not on a scheduled trip at the time of the sinking.
This is a breaking news story; we will post updates as and when we can
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