Submarine Carrying 44 Tourists Sunk Off The Coast of Egypt, 6 People Reportedly Dead - Maybe We Don't Need Tourist Submarines

NY Post - At least six people were killed and another nine injured — six critically — after a tourist submarine sank off of Egypt’s Red Sea coast Thursday.

Twenty-nine of the roughly 40 passengers onboard were rescued, with those injured taken to local hospitals, according to the BBC. The Russian embassy in Egypt said in a Facebook post that all the tourists on board were Russian citizens — but claimed only four were killed, contradicting local officials’ tally.

The submarine, “The Sinbad,” foundered close to the harbor in the city of Hurghada, a popular tourist destination on the Red Sea known for its beaches. The vessel can descend 82 feet deep in the sea and offers stunning views of the coral reefs and marine life, according to the website for Sinbad Submarines. The sub has been in operation for several years, with the company boasting of owning two of just “14 recreational submarines” in the world.

The local governorate’s office in Hurghada confirmed that six foreigners were killed but did not disclose their nationalities.

Taking tourists on submarine excursions is a fun idea. I can see how it would be tempting to get into the recreational tourist submarine industry. In a different life, I could even see myself stumbling into it. It could happen to anyone really. All it takes is one drunk night with the boys where somebody pulls out a sack. You get to talking million dollar can't-miss business ideas. Inevitably you wind up on www.mysubmarines.com.

You're shocked to learn that the SM16 Tourist Submarine is a mere $400k. Some quick iPhone calculator math says you could make your investment back and then some in less than 2 years time. Who else in town is selling submarine tours? Nobody. You'd have the submarine voyage market in Plymouth, Mass all to yourself. Next thing you know you're exchanging Bitcoin addresses with an authorized My Submarine agent. Next morning you wake up to a 42-foot long, pre-owned underwater submersible on your front lawn. 

I can see how one might find themselves in that situation. Where they need to sell 'x' amount of underwater submarine tours per day to recoup their $400k investment. But it's too dangerous. There is a reason there are allegedly only 14 recreational submarines in the world. There's too much that can go wrong. Unless you're a Navy SEAL, some sort of combat diver, a marine... basically unless you're in the military, or you're a saturation diver... Or you're one of the Fat Fellas...

Then you probably shouldn't be in the submarine business. It isn't worth it. I'm sure going on a submarine voyage is pretty cool. I bet there's lots of colorful fish and coral to be looked at in Egypt's Red Sea. But no way is the bang worth the buck. You can pretty much accomplish the same thing with a speed boat and some snorkeling gear. Maybe I'm being a little unfair. I clearly don't know the first thing about submarines. But I'm looking at pictures of this operation they had going on in Egypt. In particular, the top right picture in this tweet.

I just feel like if you're going on submarine voyage, it should look a little less a carnival ride. That's the vibe I'd imagine a snorkeling tour would have. I don't want my submarine tour to have a whimsical look. I'd like it to seem a little more… scientific. Although "scientific" is the vibe that the OceanGate Titanic submarine was going for, and the OceanGate submarine exploded even harder. 

I'm sure I'm just being a huge pussy about underwater submersibles. I'm sure tourist submarine voyages go off without a hitch all the time. But if I'm going to be crammed into a tube and dropped into the ocean with a bunch of strangers to see some fish… I don't want it to be by a guy who's name I found on a colorful brochure at a visitor's center. Kinda feel like we don't need recreation submarines at all. Just leave the submarining for the people who need them for actual work. If you want to see what it's like underwater, buy a snorkel. Or learn to scuba. Or take a tour on one of those boats with a glass bottom. You'll accomplish the same thing, and will be far less likely to end up in the NY Post. 

Jeff Greenberg. Getty Images.

See… they're having the time of their lives.