An Egyptian ferry survivor calls his family after recovery from hospital in the Red Sea city of Hurghada, Egypt, on Feb. 5, 2006. Egyptian officials said on Saturday that at least 448 survivors have been pulled out of the sea and rescuers also recovered 190 bodies.(Xinhua Photo)

BEIJING, Feb. 6-- The series of tragic errors that apparently claimed more than 1,000 lives on an Egyptian ferry escalated when the crew decided to push across the Red Sea despite the fire burning in the aging vessel¡¯s parking bay, survivors said Saturday.

    The Al-Salaam Boccaccio 98 had sailed only about 32 km from the Saudi shore, but its crew instead tried to reach Egypt¡¯s shores 177 km away. Only 376 survivors had been rescued by late Saturday.

    Meanwhile, Chinese President Hu Jintao on Saturday sent messages of condolences to the leaders of Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

    As the blaze on the vessel grew out of control, passengers moved to one side of the 35-year-old vessel. An explosion was heard, and high winds helped push the unbalanced ship over. The ship quickly sank with more than 1,400 passengers and crew and 220 cars aboard.

    Reports said the ship¡¯s captain and some of the crew fled their drowning vessel in one of the first lifeboats to launch. The captain was still missing, officials said.

    Despite the fire, the ship had managed to get within about 89 km of the Egyptian port of Hurghada, according to official accounts. Many survivors said that crew members discouraged them from putting on life jackets and said they did nothing to put lifeboats in service.

    Tens of thousands of Egyptians work in Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf countries ¡ª many of them from impoverished families in southern Egypt who spend years abroad to earn money. They often travel by ship to and from Saudi Arabia.

    The ship left Dubah at 7:30 p.m. Thursday on the 193-kilometer trip to Safaga, where it was scheduled to arrive at 3 a.m. It disappeared from radar screens between midnight and 2 a.m., and no distress signal was received.

    (Source: Shezhen Daily-Agencies)