4 bodies, 4 survivors recovered from Egypt Red Sea sinking: governor

Rescuers recovered four bodies and four survivors on Tuesday, a day after a diving boat capsized off Egypt's eastern coast, Red Sea Governor Amr Hanafi said, noting that eight people are still missing. 

Among the survivors were two Belgians, one Swiss national and one Egyptian, bringing the total number of survivors from the vessel to 32. The four dead have not yet been identified.

"Rescue operations are ongoing today, supported by a military helicopter and a frigate in addition to multiple divers," Hanafi told AFP news agency.

The capsized vessel was carrying 31 tourists of multiple nationalities and a 13-member crew when it was hit by a large wave early on Monday, causing it to capsize near Marsa Alam in southeastern Egypt.

The "Sea Story" embarked on a multi-day diving trip on Sunday and was due to dock on Friday in the town of Hurghada in Egypt.

According to the governor's office, the boat was carrying tourists from Belgium, Britain, China, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland and the United States. Two Polish and two Finnish tourists are among those missing, according to both countries' foreign ministries.

The authorities said the vessel was fully licensed and had passed all its inspection checks. A preliminary investigation showed no technical fault.