Tunisia, Others Try to Reduce Damage After Fuel Ship Sinks

The ship was on its way from Equatorial Guinea to Malta when it sank on Friday seven miles off the coast of Gabes in southern Gabon. Following a distress call, the Tunisian navy rescued all seven crew members.

Officials stated it was carrying between 750 and 1,000 tonnes of gasoline.

The defense ministry did not specify which nations had offered assistance, but local media said that Italy was set to deploy a navy vessel specialized in dealing with maritime catastrophes.

A specialized marine diving crew has begun searching the area surrounding the ship for signs of oil leaking.

"The situation is comforting and under control, and no leaking of gas oil has been detected from the sinking ship's tank," transport minister Rabie Majidi said.

He described the next step as "delicate and sensitive," since the ship must be removed from the sea without leaking.

Tunisian officials launched an inquiry into the sinking on Saturday, which the environment ministry blamed on severe weather.

"Tunisia will calculate the damages later and will seek compensation," environment minister Laila Chikaoui said.

The government said that obstacles will be erected to prevent the fuel's spread.

For years, the Gabes shoreline has been severely polluted, with environmental organizations alleging that industrial companies in the vicinity have dumped garbage straight into the sea.