Six foreigners were killed on Thursday when a submarine carrying Russian tourists sank off the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Hurghada, the local governor’s office told Reuters.

The Russian consulate in Hurghada said the submarine, named “Sindbad”, had 45 Russian tourists on board in addition to crew members. It said four people had died, but did not specify if they were Russian.

“Most of those on board were rescued and taken to their hotels and hospitals in Hurghada,” the consulate said, adding that the fate of several tourists was still being clarified.

Local media reported that rescue teams had saved 29 of the 45 passengers.

The Red Sea, renowned for its coral reefs and marine life, is a major hub for Egypt’s crucial tourism industry, in which Russian tourists play an increasingly large part.

In November, four people drowned and 33 were rescued when a tourist diving boat was struck by high waves and sank within minutes. Another boat sank in June after storm damage, the Environment Ministry said at the time, although no casualties were reported.

A United Nations report ranked Egypt first in Africa for tourism revenues in 2024 at $14.1 billion, more than twice what it earns in Suez Canal revenues, highlighting tourism's vital role in sustaining the hard-pressed economy.