File Photo: cats sit in waiting behind men casting their lines while fishing at the port of Sousse, about 140 kilometres south of Tunisia s capital, with merchant ships seen in the background taken on November 26, 2020. AFP
“The ship sank this morning in Tunisia’s territorial waters. For the moment, there is no leak,” Tunisian Court Spokesperson Mohamed Karray said.
“A disaster prevention committee will meet to decide on the measures to be taken,” he added, AFP reported.
The tanker took off from Damietta Port and was heading to the Island state of Malta, when it requested entry to Tunisian waters on Friday evening due to bad weather.
Tunisian authorities said they evacuated the seven-member crew, however, the ship is at risk of leaking its contents.
The 58-metre-long tanker was originally from Equatorial Guinea and was carrying a Georgian captain, four Turks, and two Azerbaijanis, all of which were hospitalised briefly.
Tunisian authorities have activated “the national emergency plan for the prevention of marine pollution with the aim of bringing the situation under control and avoiding the spread of pollutants,” according to AP.
The sinking prompted concerns over a “potential environmental disaster,” in the Mediterranean should a fuel spill occur.
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