An Egyptian ferry, carrying passengers, cargo and trucks, sank in the Red Sea early on Sunday, according to state-owned news agency MENA.
The ‘Taba’ had capsized because the trucks on board the ship were parked mainly on one side, according to Abdel-Rehim Mostafa, spokesman for the Red Sea Ports Authority.
Nine people suffered minor injuries, but all 37 people on board, including 27 crew members, were saved.
The ship sank shortly after leaving Safaga Port for Saudi Arabia. According to the military spokesperson, the Egyptian navy received a distress signal at 5.05am, indicating the ship was sinking, and dispatched rescue units immediately.
Rescue ships arrived at the scene only half an hour later with the site of the accident being only 17 nautical miles from Safaga and its naval base. The naval vessel ‘Safa’ picked up all 37 people, and brought them back to the port.
The last major accident in the Red Sea took place in December 2014, when a collision between an Egyptian fishing boat and a Kuwaiti container ship killed 25.
