Egypt on High Alert After Gas Ship Collides With Coral Reefs Near Sharm El-Sheikh
Egypt has heightened its emergency preparedness at the Gulf of Aqaba’s entrance following an incident involving a Liberian gas ship that struck coral reefs near Sharm El-Sheikh. The Egyptian Ministry of Environment announced this state of alert to prevent any potential environmental disaster due to leaks or pollution from the stranded vessel.
Ali Abu Senna, the head of the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency, personally oversaw the situation and mandated increased readiness at the Al-Salam Center for Combating Marine Oil Pollution. This facility, located in Sharm El-Sheikh and part of the Ministry of Environment, plays a crucial role in managing marine pollution threats.
The incident occurred during the Muslim Eid Al-Fitr holiday, though specific dates were not provided in the ministry’s statement. Initial reports from Egyptian media suggest that the ship had recently unloaded its cargo in Jordan’s port of Aqaba before heading toward Russia when it collided with the reefs.
As of Sunday, there have been no detected leaks or pollutants from the ship, which has been successfully refloated and moved to the port of Sharm El-Sheikh for further inspection and safety measures.
