CAIRO -- A total of 17 people, including tourists and Egyptian crew members, were missing after their safari boat sank off the northern area of Marsa Alam city at the Red Sea, the Egyptian Red Sea Province said on its official Facebook page on Monday.

The boat initially carried 45 people, including 31 tourists and 14 crew members.

Amro Hanfy, governor of the Red Sea Province, told Xinhua that 28 survivors had been found and dispatched by airplane for medical care.

"Intensive efforts are underway in search for the missing in coordination with the armed and naval forces," noted Hanfy.

The governor added that frigate El-Fateh and airplanes are continuing to comb the area.

He urged people nearby to avoid the accident spot so that the rescue team could carry out their duties.

According to initial information, the boat sank near a coral reef in north Marsa Alam. The control center in the Red Sea province received a distress signal from a crew member on Monday from a boat named "Sea Story" around 5:30 am local time (0330 GMT).

The boat, on a diving trip, left Port Ghalib in Marsa Alam on Nov 24 and was scheduled to return to Hurghada Marina on Nov 29.