Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
The death toll from the tragic drowning incident at Abu Talat Beach in Alexandria’s Al-Agamy district has climbed to seven, following the discovery of another body late last night. Rescue divers recovered the lifeless body of a young man, identified as Amin Mahmoud, floating in the sea. His body was transferred to the morgue as legal procedures were initiated.
The incident, which occurred during a student outing, has shocked the nation. Among the deceased are six teenage girls, all around 16 years old: Habiba El-Sayed, Nour Mamdouh, Salma Essam, Fares Yasser, Wesa Sawiris, and an unidentified victim believed to be of the same age. The seventh victim, Amin Mahmoud, was confirmed later.
The accident also left at least 28 others injured, with many receiving medical care at local hospitals. The list of injured includes teenage girls aged between 15 and 20, such as Suhbaa Nasser Abdullah (16), Riham Ahmed Mahmoud (17), Asmaa Nour (16), Aya Ahmed Aboul Wafa (17), and others who were part of the same group.
The group reportedly belonged to an academy specializing in aviation hospitality and had organized a recreational trip to the beach. However, tragedy struck in the early hours of Saturday when a student entered the sea against explicit warnings from beach authorities.
They were warned
A video circulating on social media has added a haunting layer to the unfolding tragedy. The footage, filmed shortly before the incident, shows a beach official sternly warning students and their supervisors not to enter the water due to rough sea conditions. Red flags had been raised along the shore, signaling dangerous swimming conditions and high waves.
“We can’t describe the look on families’ faces when someone drowns,” the official says in the video, pleading with the group to enjoy the beach safely without venturing into the water. He also assured that if conditions improved, an announcement would be made. Tragically, his words went unheeded.
According to eyewitness accounts and survivors, the chain of events began when one girl decided to enter the water despite the warnings. She was quickly overpowered by the waves. Five of her friends rushed in to try and save her, only to be swept away themselves. Panic and chaos ensued on the beach as onlookers tried in vain to help.
One survivor, speaking from her hospital bed, described the harrowing moment: “It was just one wave… and it took all of us.”
The Egyptian Ministry of Health later confirmed that six students had died and 24 others were injured in what is now considered one of the deadliest beach incidents of the summer.
The tragedy has ignited widespread sorrow and questions about beach safety enforcement and supervision during organized trips. Despite clear warnings and visible red flags, the incident underscores the need for stricter compliance with safety protocols and better coordination between schools, tour organizers, and local authorities.
As Alexandria mourns the young lives lost, calls are growing for greater awareness, more stringent supervision of beach outings, and reinforced emergency preparedness to prevent such devastating events from recurring.
