Shipping traffic through the Suez Canal remains normal and has not been affected by the sinking of an oil rig in the Red Sea, the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) said on Tuesday.
The Authority clarified that the canal’s waterway is operating at full efficiency and that the incident occurred outside the navigation corridor, posing no disruption to vessel movement or daily transits.
Maritime sources reported that the oil rig, named “Ed Marine 12” and operated by a private company, sank while being towed by three tugboats toward the Al-Ashrafi area in the Red Sea.
The accident has resulted in four fatalities and 21 survivors, while search operations continue for six people still missing.
Initial reports indicate that the Ras Shukeir Marine Control Tower, run by the Gulf of Suez Petroleum Company (GUPCO), received an urgent distress signal regarding the sinking. In response, maritime authorities dispatched two marine units to the area between Jebel Al-Zeit and the Hilal oil platform. Coordination with aviation authorities also led to the deployment of two aircraft to assist in the rescue efforts.
So far, rescue teams have recovered two bodies, while efforts by sea and air continue to locate the remaining missing individuals. Among the survivors, several have sustained fractures and other injuries and have been transported for immediate medical treatment.
Authorities remain on high alert, with extensive resources deployed for ongoing search and rescue operations.
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