The cargo ship VSG Glory, which ran aground off the coast of El Quseir on 22 November – three days earlier than the liveaboard Sea Story capsized with the lack of 11 lives – has now sunk subsequent to the reef she struck.
The 100m (300ft) freighter was on its manner from Hodeidah in Yemen to Port Tawfiq, situated on the northern tip of the Egyptian Gulf of Suez, with a cargo of wheat bran when she misplaced energy and drifted into the coral reef outdoors the Mövenpick Resort El Quseir.
Glory’s hull was cut up and a number of the 70 tonnes of gasoline oil she was carrying started to leak onto the reef. The gasoline was finally pumped from its tanks however heavy seas made work troublesome, and worsened the harm to the ship, which developed a heavy record.
All members of the crew have been safely evacuated.
By 30 November the ship had developed a gap nearly 2ft (60cm) in size and was partly submerged in the direction of the strict, earlier than finally sliding down the reef over the next days, the place she now lies between 22m and 60m of depth.
Following the sinking, Mövenpick Resort El Quseir issued a press release thanking prospects for his or her persistence, and offered additional particulars of the sinking.
الله يعوض والحمدلله عسلامة الشباب
صور جديدة وصلتنا من موقع جنوح السفينة VSG Glory جنوب ميناء الحمراوين المصري في البحر الأحمر#ship #grounding #egypt #redsea #vsg_glory #security #marine #sea #port pic.twitter.com/CUiLDnP1Bi— The Sea In Arabic البحر بالعربي (@Theseainarabic) December 2, 2024
Thanks in your persistence throughout these difficult instances. We delayed issuing a press release because the state of affairs was consistently evolving, and we most well-liked to talk solely from confirmed information. Relaxation assured, had there been any rapid danger to our visitors’ well being and security, we might have communicated it instantly, however fortunately, this was not the case.
Immediately, we need to share some particulars concerning the sinking of the VSG GLORY close to our southern outer reef.
On 22 November 2024, the freighter, carrying wheat bran, misplaced propulsion and drifted into our southern outer reef. Harm to the hull made towing not possible, and regardless of round the clock efforts, the ship sank on 2 December 2024 after safely evacuating the crew. The wreck now lies between 22 and 60 meters deep.
Happily, our Al Quadim Bay corals have been minimally affected, with little harm confined to the southernmost tip. The reef south of the bay sustained extra however nonetheless restricted harm, and the location of the sinking, not often visited by our divers, sadly skilled important harm. We’re planning restoration actions within the first two areas, together with reattaching corals and eradicating particles.
On 23 November 2024, a restricted amount of oil air pollution did escape the hull of the ship, which was carried south by the currents. PetroSafe Firm managed to guard the lodge’s southern shores from air pollution residue by putting in absorbing skimmers. Our bay and northern reef weren’t affected.
Throughout the sinking on 2 December 2024, polluted water escaped the engine room, and was once more carried south. Some traces did enter our bay that point and have been cleaned up inside a couple of hours. A gasoline scent was noticeable within the days after the sinking, attributable to evaporating fuels. Though our lodge was fortunately spared critical air pollution, reported oil spots in southern places have been cleaned up instantly by PetroSafe firm, supported by HEPCA, and the El Quseir Setting workplace.
Present assessments point out that the wreck and its contents pose no rapid danger to the encircling space. Monitoring efforts are ongoing to make sure the security and preservation of the atmosphere.
Egypt’s Minister of Setting, Dr. Yasmine Fouad, has launched a program to revive the Crimson Sea ecosystem, beginning in El Quseir. This consists of steady environmental monitoring and research to revive the marine ecological stability, in collaboration with the UNDP.
Whereas saddened by the incident, we’re relieved our resort was spared important hurt and are glad to let you already know that nothing stands in your strategy to take pleasure in an impressive time in our little slice of paradise.
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