An oil spill caused by a leaking tanker in the Suez Canal has caused at least 72 million pounds (12 million dollars) in environmental damage, Egypt’s environment minister said Wednesday.
The Liberian-flagged Grigoroussa 1 on Tuesday leaked 3,000 tons of heavy fuel into the canal, also affecting nearby tourist resorts and residents, Maged George told the official MENA news agency.
While too early to assess the overall impact on local residents and businesses, George said that canal authorities have already received 1,320 complaints relating to the spill.
Officials said on Tuesday that the slick had spread some 30-kilometres (18 miles).
The tanker, which was headed south from the Mediterranean late on Sunday, broke down and drifted into a quay. About 3,000 of the 58,000 tons of its heavy fuel cargo leaked into the canal, while the rest was safely pumped out.
Tugs rescued the stricken vessel so as not to block traffic through the canal, which is Egypt’s third largest source of revenue. A day’s closure costs an estimated income loss of seven million dollars.
Source: Agence France-Presse
