An oil drilling vessel capsized in the Gulf of Suez on Tuesday evening, leaving at least four crew members dead and four others unaccounted for, Egyptian authorities confirmed on Wednesday.
The incident occurred off the coast of Ras Ghareb, on the African side of the Gulf of Suez — a key section of the Red Sea and a vital maritime route, according to the Petroleum Ministry.
Amr Hanafy, governor of Egypt's Red Sea province, said 30 people were on board at the time of the accident.
Rescue teams managed to retrieve four bodies and rescue 22 others, who were taken to hospital for treatment, he added.
Efforts to locate the remaining four missing crew continued through the night, with support from Egyptian naval vessels.
The cause of the vessel's capsizing has not yet been determined, and an investigation is under way.
Local media suggested the ship may have overturned while being towed for exploratory drilling at another site.
Egypt's Petroleum Ministry identified the location as Gabel el-Zeit, a major oil-producing zone approximately 300 kilometres south of the Suez Canal.
Vice Admiral Ossama Rabei, head of the Suez Canal Authority, stated that traffic through the canal remained unaffected, with 33 ships scheduled to transit the global waterway on Wednesday.
