Officials say 3 foreigners die in cruise liner accident in Egyptian Sinai

Egypt: 3 foreigners die in cruise liner accident

AL-ARISH, Egypt — A luxury cruise liner slammed into the pier as it docked at a Red Sea resort in Egypt, leaving three crew members dead, officials said.

The ship’s owner, Costa Crociera, said the vessel sprung a leak on the right side after it banged into the pier at about 4:45 a.m.

Witnesses said fierce winds had rocked the area overnight and the ship was slammed part way onto the pier.

“We unfortunately can confirm the deaths of three crew members. We confirm that three passengers, as well as a crew member, had to go to the hospital,” the company said in a statement.

Other passengers were evacuated and arrangements were being made to return them to their home countries, according to the company.

The Costa Europa ship had been on an 18-day cruise from Dubai to Savona, Italy.

Police and rescue officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to release the information, said the three killed include an Indian, a Brazilian and a Honduran, but the company did not confirm nationalities.

Mohammed Fayez, head of South Sinai ambulance services, said the bodies were still being removed from the ship. The vessel had arrived in Sharm el-Sheik from another Red Sea port in Safaga, local officials said.