Cargo freighter sinks in Red Sea one week after coral reef collision caused oil spill

Work under way to assess and mitigate environmental impact on delicate coral reefs

Damage to the VSG Glory's hull from the collision made it tilt and sink as it was moved to El Quseir port. Photo: HEPCA

Egypt has intensified efforts to contain environmental damage caused by the sinking of a cargo ship, which went down in the Red Sea on Monday after spilling oil.

The VSG Glory sank off the coast of El Quseir, having run aground on a reef on November 22. The impact had cracked open the 300-foot coastal freighter's lower hull, causing seawater to flood its interior.

The collision also caused some of the fuel oil – the tanks held about 70 tonnes – to spill out and drift on to several of El Quseir's beaches. The vessel was also carrying 4,000 tonnes of bran and 50 tonnes of diesel.

Visitors have started avoiding the water because of the thick layer oil on a number of shores, a resident of the city told The National. The Egyptian Ministry of Environment, in co-operation with relevant authorities, is trying to clean up the slick.

Once its crew was evacuated, an attempt was made to tug the ship from the collision site to El Quseir dock for repairs, but the damage proved too severe, leading to the sinking, the environment ministry said on Monday. Environment Minister Dr Yasmine Fouad confirmed that the ship sank due to a tilt on its right side and several cracks in its hull that made repairs very difficult, especially amid continuing poor weather.

In addition to being a prolific lane for maritime cargo traffic, the area where the ship sank is also known for its near-shore diving attractions, including coral gardens and submerged caverns. Tourism is a major part of the local economy.

Ms Fouad, on a visit to El Quseir last week, directed Red Sea province authorities to work to prevent any leakage of pollutants by tasking teams to monitor the sinking, observe any environmental effects, and take all necessary measures to prevent the oil from reaching the shore.

Clean-up efforts are being aided by the Egyptian navy, experts from petroleum companies and workers from a coalition of environmental NGOs that monitor and preserve the sensitive, coral-dense Red Sea ecosystem. The authorities have formed a committee to assess the damage and conduct a comprehensive survey to evaluate the density and health of the coral reefs. The Red Sea is renowned for its delicate and diverse marine ecosystem.

According to the Hurghada Environmental Protection and Conservation Association, which is leading the clean-up efforts for the NGOs, crews were working round the clock to prevent further spills. Two large ships were dispatched to the site to pump out water and fuel from the vessel's tanks. About 250 tonnes of contaminated water and fuel had been extracted and transferred to a specialised vessel.

However, during salvage efforts, the vessel's tilt increased, making the situation more precarious and requiring extra pumps to accelerate the removal of fuel and water. Divers were sent to repair and weld the ship's hull to minimise the risk of further leaks or structural damage, HEPCA said.

Following the incident, Ms Fouad announced an ecosystem restoration programme in the Red Sea and South Sinai, starting with the El Quseir area. The programme will include environmental monitoring and studies to measure recovery rates and assess the need for rehabilitation, in co-operation with the UN Development Programme in Egypt.

The sinking of the VSG Glory came a week after a tourist yacht, the Sea Story, capsized due to bad weather near the coast of Marsa Alam, in Egypt. The yacht was carrying 44 passengers, 33 of whom survived, while six bodies were retrieved.