Egypt says 28 survivors found after tourist boat sinks off its Red Sea coast

Egyptian authorities said Monday that 28 people have been rescued after a tourist boat sank off the country's Red Sea coast.

The boat was carrying 45 people, including 31 tourists and 14 crew, on a diving trip when it went down near the coastal town of Marsa Alam early Monday.

Local authorities reported a distress signal from the boat at 05:30 am local time (0330 GMT) during its diving trip.

"Twenty-eight people have been rescued from the boat," Red Sea Governor Amr Hanafi said in a statement, without specifying their nationalities.

He added that search efforts were still ongoing for 17 missing people.

Hanafi said that a frigate and aircraft were searching the area for other survivors, in coordination with naval forces.

The Red Sea is a popular diving destination for tourists in Egypt for its coral reef and marine life.