Brits missing in Egypt named as West Country couple

Britons still missing after a tourist yacht sank off the Egyptian coast less than a week ago have been named as an engaged West Country couple.

Jenny Cawson, 36, and Tariq Sinada, 49 - described as an 'adventure-loving couple' from Devon - were enjoying a reef safari holiday together when their boat was hit by a huge wave in the early hours of Monday (November 25) reports say.

The couple, who have both worked as scuba diving instructors, are feared to have drowned after Egyptian authorities confirmed they are among seven passengers still to be located, The Mirror reports.

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A total of 33 people have so far been rescued and four people are confirmed to have died after the 144ft four-deck vessel, named Sea Story, sank in the area known as Dolphin Reef, in the Red Sea. Among those rescued were two other British passengers, London couple Colin Sharratt, 65, and Sally Jones, 58.

Five survivors were pulled from the wreckage on Tuesday night after surviving more than 30 hours with just a tiny pocket of air to breathe underneath the boat. They have told of how they were trapped in the pitch black and cold water with just their mouths and noses above the surface.

In the immediate aftermath of the incident, the Foreign Office said it was providing consular support to "a number of British nationals and their families". The governor of the Red Sea region, Amr Hanafy, said at the time that rescuers saved 28 people from the vessel south of the coastal town of Marsa Alam, with some being airlifted to receive medical treatment.

Mr Hanafy said 31 tourists of various nationalities were on board, in addition to 14 crew members. The governorate received a report shortly before dawn on Monday of a distress call made from the yacht, which had left Marsa Alam for a five-day journey.

It was not immediately clear what caused the wooden-hulled motor yacht to sink. On Saturday, the Egyptian Meteorological Authority warned about turbulence and high waves on the Red Sea and advised against maritime activity on Sunday and Monday.

The firm that operates the yacht, Dive Pro Liveaboard in Hurghada, Egypt, said on Monday that it had no information on the matter.

'A couple who love adventure and the outdoors'

Miss Cawson and Mr Sinada have been described as a couple who 'love adventure and the outdoors', often snowboarding, mountain climbing and diving together. Miss Cawson works as an IT consultant, while Mr Sinada is an astrophysics graduate of Imperial College.

The couple have lived together for years in Ashburton in Devon. Mr Sinada, who works for Tata Consultancy Services in the UK, has also worked as a scuba instructor in Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines, with Miss Cawson often working alongside him.

An official source told the Daily Mail they were among those missing, presumed drowned. The Sea Story was due to return to Hurghada tomorrow after a six-day voyage from Port Ghalib. The journey is extremely popular with diving enthusiasts, with the area considered a world class reef.

The yacht is said to have sunk 40ft in just six minutes, with the hull of the boat currently floating just half a metre above the surface. Experts in Egypt told The Mirror the search operation is getting increasingly difficult as the conditions for diving are extremely dangerous and the vessel is still being dragged further and further out to sea.

A spokesperson for Mr Sidana's employers said: "The incident that took place in the Red Sea on Monday is tragic and our thoughts are with Tariq's family and all those that have been impacted. We hope for his safe return, along with all other passengers." Miss Cawson's relatives were too upset to comment.

A FCDO Spokesperson said: "We are providing consular support to a number of British nationals and their families following an incident in Egypt and are in contact with the local authorities."