A cargo ship sailing to Malta from Egypt carrying 750 tonnes of oil sank near Tunisia.

"The ship sank this morning in the territorial waters of Tunisia and so far there is no fuel leak.

"The competent commission for disaster prevention will decide on the next measures," said Tunisian justice spokesman Mohamed Karaj.

Seven crew members were evacuated from the ship.

They are four sailors from Turkey, two from Azerbaijan and one from Georgia, reports

.

The Tunisian Ministry of Environmental Protection announced that the crew of the "Xelo" truck has requested permission to enter Tunisian territorial waters due to bad weather conditions.

The ministry warned that there is a risk of fuel leakage into the sea and added that ministries and line services are working to prevent a possible environmental disaster in the area.

Diesel ship sinks off Tunisia risking 'environmental disaster'

A tanker carrying 750 tons of diesel fuel from Egypt to Malta sank in the Gulf of Gabes off Tunisia's south-east coast, sparking a rush to avoid a spill.

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- Petroleum Today Magazine (@PetroleumToday) April 16, 2022