Egypt says 17 people missing after tourist yacht capsized off Red Sea coast

Egyptian authorities say 17 people, including foreigners, are missing and 28 others have been rescued after a tourist yacht capsized off the country’s Red Sea coast.

The vessel had been carrying 31 tourists of various nationalities and a 14-member crew at 5:30 a.m. when a distress signal was sent out, says a statement from the Red Sea governorate.

The Sea Story embarked on Sunday on a multi-day diving trip from Port Ghalib in Egypt’s southeast, and was due to dock in the town of Hurghada, 200 kilometers (124 miles) north, on Friday.

Governor Amr Hanafi says in a statement that some survivors were rescued by an aircraft, while others were transported by a warship to safety.

“Intensive search operations are underway in coordination with the navy and the armed forces,” he says.

The Red Sea is a major tourist destination in Egypt, a country of 105 million in serious economic crisis. The sector employs two million people and generates more than 10 percent of GDP.