Rescue teams found an abandoned boat off the coast of Marsa Matrouh on Tuesday, the governor of Matrouh Governorate said.
Major General Ahmed al-Hayatmy, the governor, said ten sailors had been onboard the boat, which is named “Zamzam.”
Three out of the boat’s four emergency flotation rafts were found empty along with the boat. Hayatmy expressed hope that the sailors boarded the last raft in an attempt to reach land. Rescue teams are continuing to search for the final raft.
Dozens of sailors’ families blocked Abu Qeer Road and set tires on fire to protest what they believe was authorities’ slow pace of attempting to rescue the sailors.
Presidential spokesperson Yasser Ali said President Mohamed Morsy is following efforts to rescue the boat, which departed from Marsa Matrouh on Monday. Morsy has contacted Defense Minister Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Hayatmy to get more details, Ali said.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
