Race Against Time to Save Sinking Cargo Ship VSG Glory in Red Sea

Egyptian authorities are working to rescue the VSG Glory, a cargo ship that started sinking near coral reefs in the Red Sea. The ship sustained damage and flooded after being stranded for 10 days. Efforts to stabilize the ship are ongoing amid challenging weather conditions.

In an urgent effort to prevent an environmental disaster, Egyptian authorities are striving to save the VSG Glory, a cargo ship foundering near coral reefs off Quseir in the Red Sea. The ship, stranded for 10 days, began sinking on Monday due to a 60-centimeter hull breach that flooded its engine room.

The ship was carrying 21 crew members alongside a cargo of 4,000 metric tons of bran, 70 tons of fuel oil, and 50 tons of diesel. While the crew has been successfully rescued, stabilization efforts have met with difficulty from deteriorating weather, causing the vessel to tilt precariously.

Emergency teams, led by the Red Sea Governorate and the Ministry of Environment, have managed to remove 250 tons of contaminated water and fuel. However, residual fuel remains a lingering threat to the vulnerable coral ecosystem. This incident comes less than a month after a tourist boat catastrophe in the same region.

(With inputs from agencies.)