Three British tourists are missing after a fire on board a boat during a sea cruise in the Egyptian Red Sea.

Twelve others Britons were rescued from the boat which was off the coast of Marsa Alam, local authorities said.

They added that initial reports suggested the fire was the result of an electrical fault.

According to reports the boat had left Port Ghalib on 6 June and had been due to return on Sunday.

BBC News correspondent Sally Nabil said it was understood around 30 people were on board – 15 Britons with the rest being Egyptian crew.

All of those who had been rescued were said to be well, she said, while an investigation has begun to determine the cause of the fire.

The Red Sea is a popular resort for diving trips.

“This is really bad news for the tourism industry,” said Ms Nabil. “They depend on tourism, particularly British tourism.”