Tunisia is working to contain the diesel spill from the Guinean fuel ship that sank off its coast on Saturday, local reports have said.
The tanker XELO, carrying 750 tons of diesel from Egypt to Malta, sank in the Gulf of Gabes off Tunisia’s southeast coast.
Now, local reports have quoted Tunisia’s Environment Ministry as saying that barriers will be put up and a perimeter set to contain the diesel spill from the vessel.
Divers are also expected to be mobilized to examine the extent of the spill and the infiltrated fuel will be pumped out, the ministry added.
It also pointed out that Environment Minister Leila Chikhaoui went to Gabes to examine the situation and coordinate interventions to undertake the necessary preventive measures.
The authorities had already announced the implementation of the National Marine Pollution Emergency Response Plan to contain the damage.
The implementation is reportedly taking place in close coordination with the ministries of national defense, interior, and transport, as well as the Tunisian Customs.
Earlier in the day, the environment ministry said it was following with “concern” the environmental effects of the sinking of the cargo ship, adding that all efforts were being made to avoid “an environmental disaster.”
The wrecked commercial cargo ship, flying the flag of Equatorial Guinea and coming from the Egyptian port of Damietta, did not reach its final destination, Malta, due to bad weather conditions and rough seas.
As a result, it appealed to the Tunisian authorities to allow it to enter territorial waters and drop anchor about 7 km off the coast of the Gulf of Gabes.
However, water seeped into the engine room, flooding it to a height of 2 meters.
The Tunisian authorities intervened and rescued the entire crew.