The divers were staying aboard a scuba vessel when they went missing on Sunday, tour operators have said

Three British tourists have died after a scuba diving boat they were traveling in caught fire on the Red Sea off the coast of Egypt, according to media reports citing tour operators.

“It is with great regret that we, as tour operator, with heavy hearts, must accept that three of our much-valued dive guests perished in the tragic incident,” a spokesman for Scuba Travel told Sky News in a statement.

The three passengers are said to have been among 15 qualified divers who were on a week-long stay aboard the ‘Hurricane’ dive boat, operated by Tornado Marine Fleet. A fire reportedly broke out at around 8:30am local time on Sunday, following which the three tourists were presumed missing.

Twelve British citizens, along with 12 Egyptian crew members, were successfully rescued and taken to the diving resort of Marsa Shagra, around 21km north of Marsa Alam.

“At the time the fire broke out, 12 divers were participating in a briefing on board, while those missing had apparently decided not to dive that morning,” Scuba Travel said.

The fire was likely started by an electrical short circuit in the engine room, according to the Red Sea governorate, and an investigation has been launched by the public prosecutor’s office.

Egypt boasts a number of popular Red Sea diving destinations.

Last week, a Russian man was mauled to death by a shark in Hurghada, another of Egypt’s Red Sea resorts, around 250km north of Marsa Alam.

Beaches in Hurghada were only reopened on Sunday after a three-day closure, with the exception of those closest to the location where the shark attack occurred.

(RT.com)