The students had gone down to Abu Talat Beach in Alexandria as part of a school trip when they got into trouble in the water off the beach. Officials are still trying to work out what exactly happened
Six students have drowned during a school trip to the beach in Egypt.
Emergency services rushed to Abu Talat Beach in Alexandria after reports started coming in that there were people struggling in the water.
A massive rescue effort was launched with 16 ambulances dispatched, the country’s health ministry said.
Sadly, six students could not be saved and were pronounced dead at the scene. Another three students were treated at the beach and 21 taken to nearby hospitals.
Khaled Abdel Ghaffa, Minister of Health and Population, said that emergency treatment is being provided to the students.
The beach has been closed by local officials. Red warning flags have also been raised in the area to warn people about the dangerous conditions and strong currents.
Egypt’s Ministry of Health said it “urges the public to adhere to safety guidelines on beaches”.
Now authorities are trying to figure out how this could have happened and whether proper safety measures were in place.
This comes as tourism safety is under particular scrutiny in the North African country.
In March six tourists died after a submarine sunk.
The submarine was carrying 45 tourists and five Egyptian crewmembers when it sank, Red Sea governor Maj. Gen. Amr Hanafi, said in a statement, adding that rescue teams were sent quickly.
He said all six dead were Russians, and that 29 of the 39 tourists rescued were injured and taken to hospitals. No one was still missing from the vessel, he added.
Footage posted by the governor’s office showed Hanafy meeting survivors at the hospital, including two Egyptian crewmembers.
One Russian tourist had a small bandage on his head. A family with two young daughters smiled and told him they were OK.
Survivor Elena Boldareva said the tourist submarine began to dive with his hatches open. People saved themselves as best they could she said, adding: “Some managed to swim out, some didn’t.”
Hurghada is a major destination for divers, snorkelers and other tourists drawn by the Red Sea’s extensive coral reefs.
The submarine, named “Sindbad,” ran tours lasting about 40 minutes underwater, cruising at about 20-25 meters (65-80 feet) underwater with panoramic windows on the bottom to give views of the marine life, according to the website of the company that the Russian consulate identified as running the vessel.
The country is heavily reliant on tourism.