Two Brits rescued from Red Sea boat catastrophe named after capsized terror
Two British tourists rescued from a yacht that sank in the Red Sea off Egypt’s coast have been named as Colin Sharratt, 65, a retired housing consultant from London, and Sally Jones, 58. The pair were among six tourists and three Egyptian crew members rescued and treated at a hospital in Marsa Alam, where they were said to be in “good spirits” despite minor injuries.
A friend who spotted them on TV after their rescue shared a photo on social media, saying: “Thankfully they both survived.” However, officials have yet to confirm the identities of the four people found dead, and it is believed two Brits are among the seven still missing. The Sea Story yacht, carrying 44 people, including 31 tourists and 13 crew, sank on Monday after sending a distress signal.
Rescuers found three tourists alive but retrieved four bodies from the wreckage. The tourists on board were from various countries, including the UK, US, Germany, and Ireland.
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Two Brits were among those on the five-day diving trip that departed from Marsa Alam on Sunday. Governor of the Red Sea region, Amr Hanafi, has remarked about a tragic occurrence where survivors mention a “high sea wave” causing their vessel to capsize, reports the Mirror.
He relayed the harrowing details: “The initial cause of the accident, according to the accounts of foreigners and the Egyptian crew, was a large wave from the sea that hit the boat, causing it to capsize. The matter was sudden and fast, as it took about five or seven minutes.”
Authorities had been on alert, with the Egyptian Meteorological Authority issuing warnings of treacherous high waves on the Red Sea, recommending a cessation of maritime activities for Sunday and Monday. The yacht associated with the incident belongs to Dive Pro Liveaboard, operating out of the popular tourist hotspot, Hurghada.
Following the event, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development office made its position known on Monday. A spokesperson briefed the press, announcing: “We are providing consular support to a number of British nationals and their families following an incident in Egypt and are in contact with the local authorities.”
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