Three workers from Red Sea Hotel in Egypt were arrested for ‘endangering guest’s lives’ after 50 tourists with food poisoning were admitted to hospital.
They were admitted to hospital after they had dinner over the weekend in a hotel in the beach resort city of Hurghada, which is popular with tourists for scuba diving.
Hamada el-Sawy Egypt’s chief procuror stated in a statement that workers at the hotel, including the head chef, were accused of endangering guests’ lives.
According to the statement of the prosecutor, the workers denied the allegations.
14 Estonians were among the victims, along with 29 Russians and four Czech Republic nationals. It stated that many were discharged from the hospital after their health improved.
After 50 people were hospitalized with food poisoning, three workers at a Hurghada hotel on the Red Sea in Egypt were arrested.
Tourism authorities have placed an order for the closure of the hotel.
An inspection was conducted at the hotel’s headquarters, and samples were taken from the hotel’s food in the kitchen, freezers, processing places and various water sources. They will be examined and a detailed report prepared.
Russia’s TASS news agency reported that Viktor Voropayev (Russian consul general in Hurghada) stated that the tourists were being accommodated at other hotels.
According to Mr Voropayev, “The health of all patients is satisfactory, stable, and not life-threatening.”
Russia is a major source of foreign tourists visiting Egypt and in August, Russia allowed the resumption of flights between its territory and the Red Sea resorts for the first time since a 2015 plane crash (pictured, Russian tourists travel from Sheremetyevo to Sharm El-Sheikh)
The incident occurred as Egypt struggles to revive its vital tourism sector, which was severely affected by the turmoil that followed 2011’s uprising and more recently by a coronavirus pandemic.
To attract foreign visitors, the government has made Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh less restrictive in their Red Sea resorts.
Russia is a major source to foreign tourists visiting Egypt. In August, Russia allowed flights between its territory in Russia and the Red Sea resorts.
It was the first time that air traffic was allowed since an attack by the local Islamic State affiliate in October 2015 brought down a Russian plane over the Sinai Peninsula, killing all 224 passengers.