A tanker carrying 750 tonnes of diesel fuel from Egypt to Malta sank Saturday off Tunisia’s southeast coast, but officials said a large spill could be avoided.
The crew of the Xelo vessel had issued a distress call on Friday evening and sought shelter in Tunisian waters from bad weather before going down in the Gulf of Gabes in the morning, the authorities said.
Environment Minister Leila Chikhaoui said on Saturday that “the situation is under control” in an interview aired on state television.
“There are minimal leaks, which are not even visible to the naked eye and fortunately the oil is evaporating, so there should not be a disaster in the Gulf of Gabes,” said Mohamed Karray, spokesman for a court in Gabes.
