Posted16 avril 2022, 10:56
A ship transporting diesel from Egypt to Malta “risks sinking” off the southeast coast of Tunisia.
A ship carrying diesel from Egypt to Malta “is at risk of sinking” off the southeast coast of Tunisia, Tunisian authorities said on Saturday, saying they are working to avoid “a marine environmental disaster in the region”.
The merchant ship Xelo, loaded with “regarding 750 tonnes of diesel”, asked Friday evening to enter Tunisian waters because of bad weather conditions, the environment ministry said in a statement.
The ship, whose crew was rescued and flying the flag of Equatorial Guinea (IMO number 7618272), was heading for the European island of Malta from the Egyptian port of Damietta.
While regarding 7 km off the coast of the Gulf of Gabès (south-east), the merchant ship began to take on water, which seeped into the engine room, rising to almost two meters high.
The Tunisian authorities have evacuated the crew of seven people on board the ship in distress, “which is in danger of sinking”, according to the ministry.
The Ministries of Defence, Interior, Transport and Customs are working to avoid “a marine environmental disaster in the region and to limit its repercussions”, assured the Ministry of the Environment, specifying that the situation was “currently under control”. No spokesperson was immediately available for further details.
The Ministry of the Environment described the situation of the ship as “alarming” and announced the establishment of a “national emergency response plan” to avoid the sinking of the ship and marine pollution.
(AFP)