A ship sinks with 750 tonnes of diesel on board off Tunisia, the country fears a “catastrophe – L’Indépendant

If no casualties are to be deplored, the Tunisian authorities are preparing to face “a marine environmental disaster”. Tunisian authorities have announced that the ship Xelo, which was transporting diesel from Egypt to Malta, sank near the south-eastern coast of the country on Saturday morning. The latter had on board 750 tons of fuel. It is therefore now “a marine environmental disaster” for which the country is now preparing. “For the moment, there is no leak,” said the spokesman for a court in the region, Mohamed Karray. “A disaster prevention commission will meet to decide on the measures to be taken” The rescued crew members Faced with bad weather conditions, the ship had requested Friday to enter Tunisian waters. Then, 7 kilometers from the coast, the ship began to take on water and to worry the Tunisian authorities who had put in place a “national urgent intervention plan” to avoid sinking. Nothing could be done except the rescue of the 7 crew members.