Tourist boat capsizes in Muttrah, three French tourists killed

Muscat: Three French tourists were killed, and two others sustained minor injuries after a tourist boat capsized in the Wilayat of Muttrah, authorities said on Tuesday.

According to sources, the boat was on the way to the Damaniyat Islands (near the Seeb area of Muscat) from Bandar al Rowdha in the Muttrah area of the capital. The incident happened around 9 am.   

The sources added that some people on the boat were rescued by a passing ship that was returning to the Marina al Bandhar.

One of the operators said that the conditions suddenly turned for the worse, though the state of the sea had been generally rough these days. 

According to preliminary information, the boat was carrying 25 French tourists, along with a tour guide and the boat’s captain, when the incident occurred. Rescue and ambulance teams from the Civil Defence and Ambulance Authority in Muscat Governorate responded swiftly to the report of the accident.

The authority confirmed that three tourists died at the scene, while two others suffered minor injuries and were treated on site by ambulance crews. The remaining passengers were reported to be safe.

Officials said investigations are underway to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident and the cause of the boat’s capsizing.

State of the Sea: Moderate along Arabia Coasts with maximum wave heights of 2 meters.