A tugboat operating in the Suez Canal sank on Saturday following a collision with a Hong Kong-flagged LPG tanker. The incident resulted in one crew member being reported missing, while six others were rescued and taken to a nearby hospital.
The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) stated that convoys of ships traveling from the north were not affected, and by midnight on Saturday, the passage of ships from the south had returned to normal.
The LPG tanker involved in the collision, named Chinagas Legend, sustained no damage and was functioning normally. It is currently awaiting the completion of procedures related to the accident in Port Said.
The head of the SCA, Osama Rabie, confirmed the death of one of the tugboat’s crew members, identified as Sayed Moussa, a mechanic from Port Said.
Efforts are underway to recover the sunken tugboat, with buoys marking its position to ensure safe passage for other vessels in the meantime.
The involved tanker, Chinagas Legend, measures 230 meters (755 feet) in length and 36 meters (118 feet) in width, carrying a cargo of 52,000 metric tons of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
While the incident is being investigated, the Suez Canal remains a crucial shipping route connecting Europe and Asia.
Following the blockage caused by the Ever Given container ship in 2021, the SCA is actively working on expanding the southern sections of the canal to enhance navigation and prevent future disruptions to shipping traffic.
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