Sixteen people are still missing after a tourist boat sank in the Red Sea following warnings about turbulent weather and high waves.

Rescuers have so far saved 28 people after the vessel sent a distress signal at about 5.30am on Monday (local time).

The boat came into trouble near the tourist town of Marsa Alam, in south-eastern Egypt, which is popular for its sandy shores and coral reefs on the western shore of the Red Sea.

The four-deck wooden-hulled motor yacht, Sea Story, left port on Sunday for a five-day trip, carrying 31 tourists from around the world and 14 Egyptian crew.

The Egyptian Meteorological Authority had advised against maritime activity for Sunday and Monday, with a warning about turbulence and high waves on the Red Sea.

It was not immediately clear what caused the Sea Story to sink.

The manager of a diving resort near the rescue operation told AFP that a surviving crew member said the yacht was “hit by a wave in the middle of the night, throwing the vessel on its side”.

The governor of the Red Sea region Amr Hanafy said some of the rescued were airlifted to receive medical treatment.

A person answering the phone at the company that operates the yacht, Dive Pro Liveaboard in Hurghada, Egypt, told the Associated Press they have “no information” and hung up.

According to their website, the Sea Story was built in 2022 and can hold 36 passengers.

The Egyptian military was co-ordinating rescue operations with the governorate.

Many tourist companies have stopped or limited travelling on the Red Sea due to the dangers from conflicts in the region.

-with AAP