The tanker sank on Saturday April 16 in south-east Tunisia with 750 tons of diesel on board.
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Posted on 4/17/2022 5:52 PM Updated on 4/17/2022 6:24 PM
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The feared environmental catastrophe has been averted for the time being. Divers who inspected the hull of the oil tanker with 750 tons of diesel that sank near Tunisia on Saturday, April 16, found “no leaks,” Tunisia’s Environment Ministry said on Sunday.
The ship, which sank in the Gulf of Gabes in the southeast of the country, “sunk almost 20 meters in a horizontal position and had no cracks,” according to the authorities. The ministry added that during the rescue, rescuers “made sure to close the holds to avoid diesel leaks and the divers found them intact”. Floating environmental protection booms were installed around the wreck.
The Gabès public prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation to determine the causes of the accident. The Department for Transport is trying to “verify the exact nature of the activity of the ship and its route in recent weeks”. Local media have recalled the Gulf of Gabes’ proximity to Libya, a major oil-producing country whose shores have been the scene of hydrocarbon trade in recent years.