A Hampshire teacher died when the yacht he was sailing on his honeymoon capsized in Egypt, an inquest heard today.

Luke Day, died after the traditional felucca boat he was sailing on capsized on the River Nile.

The 31-year-old and his wife Sophie had been sailing from Aswan to Luxor with three other tourists and a crew member when the accident happened on January 17.

In a statement read out at Southampton Coroner’s Court, Sophie, 32, described how the boat had been moored for the evening when a storm broke out.

She told how she and Luke, from Sway, in the New Forest, went through a 2ft square hatch in the cabin to escape the rain.

“There was a candle in the cabin,” she said. “His eyes were twinkling. That was the last time I saw him.”

Moments later the boat began to tip violently and the cabin filled with water.

In her statement Sophie said: “We were thrown about in the cabin. I thought I was going to die. I couldn’t breathe. Every time I tried to I took in more water.

“The girls and Justin (the three other tourists) who were nearest to the hatch had got out. I managed to feel where the hatch was and pull myself towards it.

“I suddenly became very buoyant and I had a sudden relief that I could breathe again.

“I soon became aware and upset that Luke had not got out of the cabin.

“The waves were coming over my head and I had to climb up onto the rigging to get out of the water.

“I was helped by Justin onto the side of the boat but I wanted to go back into the water to try to get Luke out.”

Sophie told how she had tried to find Luke but was unable to get into the hatchway.

The inquest was told how Sophie was highly critical of the rescue staff’s lack of action as it took six and a half hours before they removed Luke’s body from the boat.

Southampton coroner Gordon Denson concluded that Mr Day died from asphyxia from drowning and recorded a verdict of accidental death.