Tunisian authorities today stepped up efforts to prevent an environmental disaster following the sinking of a merchant tanker carrying 1,000 tonnes of fuel off the coast of Gabes on Friday, two security sources told Reuters.
The Tunisian navy rescued all seven crew members from the ship, which was flying the flag of Equatorial Guinea and was heading to Malta, and had sent an emergency message seven miles off the southern city of Gabes, the sources added.
The cause of the accident is bad weather, said the Ministry of Environment, which added that the water that entered the ship reaches a height of two meters.
Authorities are working to prevent an environmental catastrophe and reduce any impact, the ministry said in a statement.
As he mentioned, dams will be set up to limit the spread of fuel and to block the ship, before they remove the leak by suction.
The Gabes coast has been heavily polluted for years, with environmental groups saying factories in the area are dumping their waste directly into the sea.
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