Several Officials Fired for Negligence in Aqaba Port Accident

Several officials in Jordan have been fired for negligence in the wake of an accident at Aqaba Port that caused a toxic gas leak. At least 13 people were killed and more than 250 injured after a tank filled with chlorine gas, which is toxic, fell late last month while being transported by a crane and exploded at the port. Five of the dead were Vietnamese nationals.

Jordan’s Prime Minister Bisher Al-Khasawneh announced the firing of the officials on Sunday during a cabinet meeting. Among those fired were the director and other officials from the state port operator, as well as the head of the maritime authority.

An investigation showed “great deficiency and negligence in safety measures for dealing with hazardous materials in the Aqaba port,” Al-Khasawneh said. The gas canister was three times heavier than the maximum weight that the crane’s cable was able to carry.

The case has been referred to the prosecutor general, Jordanian Interior Minister Mazen Farrayeh said at a press conference on Sunday.

Aqaba Port is Jordan’s only marine terminal. The 25 tons of chlorine gas were being exported to Djibouti. Aqaba’s beaches, a major tourist attraction, were closed temporarily after the gas leak.