Six people dead in Egypt after tourist submarine sank in Red Sea

Six people have died after a tourist submarine sank in the Red Sea.

Local reports say nine others are injured, with four in critical condition, following the incident off the coast of the Egyptian Red Sea city of Hurghada earlier today (27 March).

With the Sindbad submarine believed to have been carrying around 40 tourists, it is reported that the other 29 were rescued.

The city of Hurghada is a popular tourist destination, and Sindbad regularly runs excursions that take passengers to depths of up to 25 metres.

The company have been offering these tourist trips in the area for many years and says it has two of the only '14 real recreational submarines in the world'.

The sub has capacity for 44 passengers (Sindbad Submarines)

Its site adds that the submarines offer 44 passenger seats with two pilots' seats as it takes people to 'explore 500 metres of coral reef and its marine inhabitants'.

The company adds in its description for the submarine excursions: "Experience the beauty of the Red Sea’s underwater world without getting wet. It’s perfect for all ages and the memories will last a lifetime.

"We provide point-to-point transfer from your hotel to our terminal, including land-sea transportation, and all with an excellent level of service."

Local paper Al-Masry Al-Youm reports that the Red Sea Health Directorate and the Egyptian Ambulance Authority were placed on maximum alert with 21 ambulances dispatched to the scene, along with security and rescue forces.

In the case of emergency, Sindbad Submarine explains that the vessels carry oxygen masks and life vests in case of an emergency. It adds that the submarines are engineered in Finland to 'sustain underwater pressure up to 75m, ensuring safety and reliability'.

In November, a tourist boat named the Sea Sotry sank in Hurghada with 11 dead or missing and 35 survivors.

Last month, UK investigators said there'd been 16 incidents involving 'liveaboard' vessels in the area in the last five years with a number of them resulting in deaths, the BBC reports.