TUNISIA, April 17 (Reuters) – Tunisia will work with other countries that have offered to help prevent environmental damage after a merchant ship carrying up to 1,000 tonnes of oil sank in Tunisian waters, the defense ministry said. on Sunday.
The ship was heading from Equatorial Guinea to Malta when it sank seven miles off the coast of the southern city of Gabes on Friday. The Tunisian fleet rescued all seven crew members following a distress signal. Read more
It was carrying between 750 tonnes and 1,000 tonnes of fuel, officials said.
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The defense ministry did not name the countries that offered to help, but local media said Italy was expected to send a naval ship specializing in dealing with maritime disasters.
A specialized marine diving team has begun work around the ship to check for oil leaks.
The commercial fuel ship, which sank off the coast of Gabes in Tunisia on April 15, 2022, can be seen in this printout made in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, November 12, 2017. Dmitry Frolov / Distribution via REUTERS
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“The situation is reassuring and under control, and no gas oil has been leaked from the sinking tank so far,” said Transport Minister Rabbi Majidi.
He said the next stage was “delicate and sensitive”, as the ship had to be pulled out of the water without leaking.
On Saturday, Tunisian authorities launched an investigation into the sinking, which the environment ministry said was caused by bad weather.
“Tunisia will determine the losses later and will demand compensation,” said Laila Chikawi, the environment minister.
The ministry said barriers would be put in place to limit fuel proliferation.
The Gabes coast has been heavily polluted for years, with environmental groups claiming that industrial plants in the area dump waste directly into the sea.
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Report by Tarek Amara; Edited by Muralikumar Anantaraman and Barbara Lewis
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