BOMBSHELL first pictures of the doomed submarine that sank in the Red Sea with dozens of holidaymakers onboard have now been revealed.

Six individuals lost their lives, while 39 were astonishingly saved after the Sindbad pleasure submarine sank near the Egyptian resort city of Hurghada, carrying tourists.

The new pictures – taken during the rescue mission – show the submerged submarine just moments after the tragedy.

One traumatised survivor sensationally revealed that the doomed vessel dived with its hatches still open.

Dozens of holidaymakers were on board the sub, which sank about a kilometre off the Egyptian coast on Thursday.

The Red Sea area governor said six people had died in the disaster – all Russians.

Sadly, two of the victims are children, according to a Russian official.

Authorities said nine other people were injured in the disaster, including four said to have been critically hurt.

At least one child was reported to have been orphaned in the tragedy.

But 39 survived after frantically swimming for their lives as sea water rushed into the vessel half a mile from the coast.

Survivor Elena Boldareva mentioned that the white-hulled submarine’s hatches were open when it submerged at the beginning of the £68 excursion to view a coral reef 70 feet beneath the surface.

The Russian survivor – who escaped the horror with her husband – said: “Some managed to swim out, some didn’t”.

Her daughters and mother were taken to the hospital in a serious condition as authorities quizzed the sunken craft’s Egyptian operators yesterday.

If you know more about what happened or if you have ever been on a Sindbad submarine please contact rachael.bunyan1@thesun.co.uk

The first victims were preliminarily identified yesterday as a Russian doctor couple, anesthetist Ravil Valiullin, 40, and his wife Kristina, 39, a pediatric doctor.

But Kristina was later confirmed by Russian authorities to have survived.

She had reportedly been reunited in the hospital with her survivor daughters aged 10 and 15.

Ravil worked at the Urussu Central Regional Hospital in Russia’s central region called Tatarstan.

The Sindbad submarine was carrying 45 tourists as it made a 40-minute journey to view a reef.

Most of the tourists were Russians, but there were also some from India, Norway and Sweden, officials said. There were also five Egyptians on board.

The passengers were clients of the Biblio Globus company staying at Hurghada’s Sindbad Hotel, which owns the sub and operates the undersea adventure trips.

Twenty-nine were pulled from the shark-infested waters, but nine were injured, including four who have been left fighting for their lives in a critical condition.

Survivors have been taken back to their hotels while the injured have been taken to the hospital.

The Russian embassy in Cairo confirmed the accident involved its nationals.

A statement said: “On March 27, at about 10:00, the Sindbad bathyscaphe, owned by the hotel of the same name, crashed 1km off the shore.

“In addition to the crew, there were 45 tourists on board, including minors. All of them are Russian citizens.

“Most of those on board were rescued and taken to their hotels and hospitals in Hurghada.

“Their health condition is not a concern. Four people died. The fate of several tourists is being clarified.”

It is not yet clear the ratio of tourists to crew members in the vessel – which is claimed to be one of only 14 real recreational submarines in the world.

The submarine has room for 44 passengers and two pilots, with a round viewing window for each person on board.

Tourists are typically taken up to 85 feet below the balmy waters of the Red Sea for 40 minutes.

Footage from promotional videos show the passengers being sealed into the submarine cabin where they sit on benches along each side of the cabin to view colourful sea-life and spectacular corals.

The tours are popular with families with children.

An adult ticket costs £53 while a child’s ticket costs £25 for the three-hour journey, which includes a boat ride out to the waiting submersible.

Shows are also performed by divers outside the boat.

Red Sea governor Amr Hanafy says the submarine had a valid licence, and the crew had obtained the correct certificates.

Holidaymakers have left eerie reviews of the Sindbad submarine tour just months before it is believed to have hit the reef.

In a Tripadvisor review from a holiday in October, one Brit tourist said: “They also ‘big up’ the qualifications of the captain.

“But constantly bumping the sub on the sea floor is not good for the sea life, sea floor, my sanity or ultimately I’d say the sub!”

An investigation has now been launched by Egyptian authorities.

The Sun has contacted Sindbad Submarines for comment.

Brit’s near-miss with doomed sub

A BRIT on holiday was inside the doomed Sindbad submarine just three days before the deadly disaster.

Kelly Collins, 32, descended 85ft below the surface of the Red Sea in the fated sub on Monday.

The HGV driver dodged death by a whisker with six killed on Thursday when the vessel sank carrying Russian tourists.

She said: “I’m shocked, saddened and in disbelief to hear the news about the poor people on the submarine.

“I think this has put me off submarines.”

Kelly said the trip lasted about 40 minutes, with a 30 minute trip to and from shore before and after the sailing.

Fellow Brit Tom McDowell, 63, travelled on the sub with his daughter last year.

The food manufacturer from Carrickfergus, in Northern Ireland, said he was “nervous” at the thought of getting into the submarine but said he felt at “ease” as the set up was “all very professional”.

He said: “I was shocked when I read the news that it has sunk – my heart goes out to the victims.

“When i was onboard I was surprised with how safety focused the crew were.

“The boat felt sturdy and the staff and the captain we very friendly and professional.”

It is not the first accident involving a tourist sub off Egypt.

Hurghada is a popular tourist destination for Brits and Germans and a number of nautical jaunts operate from the resort.

It stretches some 25 miles across the Egyptian coast with the Red Sea and is frequented by sun-lovers and divers.

A German couple and their child drowned in a submarine accident off Hurghada in 2021.

Thirteen other tourists of different nationalities were rescued after the sub reportedly crashed into a coral reef.

In February, another tourist boat disaster happened further south in Marsa Alam.

Four died after when a scuba diving boat capsized and seven tragically remain missing four months on.

The boat had been carrying tourists from locations like Britain, the US, and Germany.

The potential risk of private submarines was brought sharply into focus when the 2023 Titan sub disaster shocked the world after a custom-built submersible imploded as it dived the wreck of the doomed Titanic.

A frantic but ultimately futile search was launched for the sub – but all five on board were killed instantly in the horror crush.