The Irish national who was on board a tourist yacht that capsized in the Red Sea off Egypt is “OK”, Irish Foreign Affairs minister Micheal Martin has said.
Mr Martin provided the update to reporters in Dublin on Tuesday morning.
“My understanding is that Irish citizen is OK and receiving consular assistance from the Department of Foreign Affairs,” he said.
Earlier today the governor of the Red Sea region Amr Hanafi said three bodies had been recovered after the yacht capsized on Monday morning.
Mr Hanafi told the Reuters news agency that a search is continuing for 13 people who remain missing. He has said rescuers saved 28 people from the vessel south of the coastal town of Marsa Alam, and some were airlifted to receive medical treatment.
There was at least one Irish citizen on the yacht which sunk off the coast of Egypt as a rescue operation continues to search for 13 missing people.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that it is providing consular assistance to the family members of the Irish citizen(s) on board.
Four British tourists are also feared to be among those missing.
The tourist yacht sank in the Red Sea following warnings about rough seas, Egyptian officials have confirmed.
The Sea Story was carrying 44 people, including 31 foreign nationals from the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Poland, Belgium, Switzerland, Finland, China, Slovakia, Spain and Ireland.
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Mr Hanafi said 31 tourists of various nationalities were on board along with 14 crew.
A spokesperson for travel trade organisation Abta said: “We have been in contact with our members to see if they had any customers on the ship affected by this incident.”
It has now emerged a distress call was made from the yacht shortly before dawn on Monday.
The vessel had left Marsa Alam for a five-day sailing.
Mr Hanafi said that according to those on board, a “high sea wave” hit the vessel and caused it to capsize in “about five or seven minutes”.
Some passengers were inside the cabins, “which is why they couldn’t get out of the boat”, his statement on Facebook said.
Mr Hanafi also ruled out that there was a technical defect to the ship, saying that all the required licences had been obtained for The Sea Story.
The Egyptian Meteorological Authority warned of high waves on the Red Sea and advised against maritime activity on Sunday and Monday.
The yacht was operated by Dive Pro Liveaboard, which is based in the Egyptian resort of Hurghada.
The company said it has no information on the matter.
Rescue operations are being co-ordinated by the Egyptian military and the Red Sea Governorate.
Armed forces aircraft were deployed above the scene as part of the response.
Marsa Alam is a popular destination for tourists embarking on diving holidays, as it is near large areas with coral reefs.
Three Britons died in June last year when the diving boat they were on burst into flames off Marsa Alam.
The fire was caused by a suspected electrical fault.
The Egyptian military was coordinating rescue operations with the governorate.
Many tourist companies have stopped or limited traveling on the Red Sea due to the dangers from conflicts in the region.