By Nneka Nwogwugwu
A ship carrying diesel fuel from Egypt that ran into difficulty off of Tunisia sank on Saturday, and Experts said it will cause “environmental disaster.”
The Xelo merchant ship was carrying around 1000 tons of diesel fuel.
Headed from the Egyptian port of Damietta to the European island of Malta, the Equatorial Guinea-flagged ship began taking water over four miles offshore in Tunisia’s southeast Gulf of Gabes, engulfing the engine room.
Tunisian authorities evacuated the seven-member crew from the ship, which “risks leaking,” the ministry said before it sank.
The defense, interior, transport, and customs ministries were working to avoid “a marine environmental disaster in the region and limit its impact,” the environment ministry said, adding the situation was “under control.”
AFP was unable to reach a spokesperson for further details.
The environment ministry said the ship’s situation was “alarming” and that it put in place an “urgent national intervention plan” to avoid a disaster.