[Central News Agency] Egypt's Suez Canal Authority said that four tugboats were trying to tow a container ship sailing the canal that ran aground after breaking down on the channel today.

The incident did not affect the passage of other ships.

The Liberian-flagged MSC ISTANBUL ran aground en route from Malaysia to Portugal, Suez Canal Authority spokesman George Safwat said in a statement.

He also said that a fifth tugboat would join in to assist in the de-shallowing work.

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Safwat said the "emergency" had not affected traffic on the critical waterway.

"North-to-south ships pass normally; south-to-north ships also proceed normally," he said.

MSC ISTANBUL ran aground at around 4:00 GMT this afternoon, according to ship tracking platform Eikon.

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