Officials say 31 tourists of different nationalities and 14 crew members were on board the diving cruise ship

At least 17 people are missing after an Egypt tour boat sank in the Red Sea, according to Egyptian officials.

Authorities said on Monday that 28 people had been rescued and that search operations were underway for the others.

According to a statement from the Red Sea governorate, the vessel was carrying “31 tourists of different nationalities and 14 crew members,” and sent out distress signals at 5:30am.

The Sea Story – a diving cruise ship – left Port Ghalib in southeastern Egypt on Sunday for a multi-day expedition and was due to reach Hurghada, 200km further north, on Friday.

“The search is actively continuing in collaboration with the navy and the armed forces,” regional governor Amr Hanafi said in a statement.

The Red Sea is one of the main tourist destinations in Egypt and attracts millions of visitors each year.

The tourism sector in Egypt employs around two million people and contributes more than 10 percent of its GDP.

The article first appeared in the Middle East Eye, https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/egypt-red-sea-cruise-ship-sinks-people-missing