At least six people were reported dead and nine injured when a tourist submarine sank off the Egyptian Red Sea city of Hurghada on Thursday.
The submarine and its crew were taking 45 passengers of various nationalities on a tour of coral reefs when the incident occurred, two municipal officials from the beach resort told The National. Russia's consulate in Hurghada had said all 45 tourists on board were Russians.
Emergency services personnel in the city told The National that six foreigners had died, two more than the figure given by Russian officials.
The incident took place off the Hurghada Marriott Hotel marina. Some reports said the vessel, reported to be named Sindbad and operated by Sindbad Submarines in the city, was about 1km from the coast.
A preliminary police investigation indicated that a collision with a coral reef caused the submarine's cabin to depressurise, allowing water to flood in, said officials. Red Sea governorate said there would be a thorough investigation into the incident, reported to have taken place at about 10am local time.
Emergency services teams rescued 29 people, said the authorities. Unconfirmed reports said the injured were in a critical condition.
Russia's consulate in Hurghada posted a statement on Facebook saying there were 45 tourists on board, including children, and that all were Russian citizens.
It said the Sindbad was carrying out a regular trip to the coral reef. The consulate said four people had been killed, while the fate of several tourists was still being determined.
“Diplomats of the general consulate are on the pier,” said the Russian consulate.
A medical official from the Hurghada ambulance service told The National that six people died, all of whom were Russian. The injured included three Egyptians and three Indian nationals, added the official.
A statement from the Red Sea governorate also confirmed that six Russian had died in the incident and that 39 had come out of it alive.
A vessel pictured on the Sindbad Submarines website features portholes along its sides, through which passengers can view the Red Sea's aquatic life.
In November, a tourist yacht sank in the Red Sea after warnings of heavy seas. At least four people drowned, while 33 were rescued.
Tourism is an important sector of Egypt's economy but many companies have stopped or limited travelling on the Red Sea due to the dangers from conflicts in the region.
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Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
Defending champions
World Series: South Africa
Women’s World Series: Australia
Gulf Men’s League: Dubai Exiles
Gulf Men’s Social: Mediclinic Barrelhouse Warriors
Gulf Vets: Jebel Ali Dragons Veterans
Gulf Women: Dubai Sports City Eagles
Gulf Under 19: British School Al Khubairat
Gulf Under 19 Girls: Dubai Exiles
UAE National Schools: Al Safa School
International Invitational: Speranza 22
International Vets: Joining Jack
Normcore explained
Something of a fashion anomaly, normcore is essentially a celebration of the unremarkable. The term was first popularised by an article in New York magazine in 2014 and has been dubbed “ugly”, “bland’ and "anti-style" by fashion writers. It’s hallmarks are comfort, a lack of pretentiousness and neutrality – it is a trend for those who would rather not stand out from the crowd. For the most part, the style is unisex, favouring loose silhouettes, thrift-shop threads, baseball caps and boyish trainers. It is important to note that normcore is not synonymous with cheapness or low quality; there are high-fashion brands, including Parisian label Vetements, that specialise in this style. Embraced by fashion-forward street-style stars around the globe, it’s uptake in the UAE has been relatively slow.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.
The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.
“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.
“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”
Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.
Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.
“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.
