A couple from Belgium survived 35 hours in the tourist boat that sank off the Egyptian coast early Monday morning – krone.at reported: An air bubble in the ship’s hull saved their lives. An expert said the two were ‘extremely lucky’.
When the four-storey submarine capsized by high waves around 5:30 am and sank in the water near Marsa Alam, Christophe (37) and Lucianna (30) could not escape in time. They were pulled to the bottom of the submarine. sea with the tour boat. But they’re both lucky. An air bubble had formed in the ship’s hull and they survived in the wreck for over a day, killing many other tourists and crew members.
The couple can be seen here:
“We couldn’t see anything at all”
“We don’t understand how we ended up in this bubble,” Christophe (37) explained the dramatic situation in a video. “The water came in from all sides. We were able to film it. We were in the hull of the ship. I think our life jackets got us there. We couldn’t see anything underwater.”
The two hope that they can come home soon. Finally, they were asked if there was a medical emergency or injury. “Because we were not immediately injured, we were told that we could not be brought back. But the problem was quickly resolved,” the 37-year-old explained. The intention is for them to leave for Belgium before Sunday.
The couple said they were still in shock. “We haven’t slept much in three days. We are very tired. Yes, we will definitely need help in the coming weeks,” says Christophe. The Belgian and his girlfriend lost their belongings. “Apart from the phone I’m talking to now, we lost our entire lives on this boat. We are alive, that is the most important thing, but everything material is gone,” he explained his situation.
Expert: “Like a second life”
A submarine pilot explained to ’20 Minutes’: ‘Depending on the position of the sunken ship on the seabed, an air bubble can be created in which you can breathe – until the oxygen runs out,’ said Philippe Epelbaum. The time the couple was able to stay underwater was astonishing: “How long you can survive in such a bubble depends on the size, the number of people and their stress level. Surviving even four hours is enormous happiness – more than thirty hours, as the Belgian survivors managed to do, is a second life.”
On Sunday, the Sea Story, a 40-meter-long boat designed for multi-day diving excursions, left with 44 people on board – even though bad weather was forecast and boat trips were not recommended. On Monday morning the ship capsized and sank about 80 kilometers off the coast near Marsa Alam. So far, 33 shipwrecked sailors have been rescued, some are still missing.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
