04-05-2025
Egypt cleaning oil spill off South Sinai between Abu Rudeis and Sharm El-Sheikh - Society
Egyptian authorities have launched an emergency containment and cleanup operation following the detection of an oil spill off the South Sinai coast between Abu Rudeis and Sharm El-Sheikh.
On Saturday evening, the Ministry of Environment stated that unidentified oil slicks were spotted around 40 kilometres from Abu Rudeis, in the direction of Sharm El-Sheikh.
The ministry immediately dispatched teams from the Environmental Affairs Agency and the Al-Salam Centre for Combating Marine Oil Pollution to the site.
The emergency response teams collected two samples from the affected area for laboratory analysis to determine the source and composition of the spill.
The ministry added that legal measures will follow once the responsible party is identified.
The incident threatens the Red Sea's coral reef ecosystems on the South Sinai coast near Sharm El-Sheikh.
These ecosystems are vital to marine biodiversity and a cornerstone of Egypt's coastal tourism industry.
Tourism is a key source of foreign currency for Egypt, and it has set a target of attracting 30 million visitors annually by 2028.
In 2024, Egypt welcomed 15.7 million tourists, generating $14.1 billion.
Follow us on:
Facebook
Instagram
Whatsapp
Short link:
