Egyptian Navy Rescues Crew of Capsized Lebanese Cargo Ship

The Egyptian Navy rescued the crew of a Lebanese cargo ship that sank off the coast of Alexandria in the Mediterranean Sea over the weekend. The 10-member crew of the AYLA, which was carrying 3.9 tons of scrap iron and was sailing from Lebanon to the port of Alexandria, included nine Syrians and one Indian. They were rescued after the Alexandria Port Authority received a distress signal from the ship. The ship reportedly capsized after tilting severely due to strong winds and uneven currents; several ports in the area had been closed due to the weather prior to the sinking of the cargo ship. Egypt’s prosecutor-general has launched an investigation to determine the extent of the environmental pollution caused by the capsized ship. Another ship, the Sea Queen, sank in the same area on Dec. 10, 2021, killing five crew members.