Jackup barge sinks in Gulf of Suez, four dead

A devastating incident occurred on Tuesday evening when the jackup barge Admarine 12, owned by Saudi oil and gas company ADES, capsized off the coast of Ras Ghareb, approximately 300 kilometers south of the Suez Canal. Four crew members lost their lives, with search and rescue operations currently underway to locate three missing personnel. Despite the tragedy, officials have stated that the accident is not expected to disrupt shipping traffic through the canal.

Details of the Incident and Rescue Efforts

The capsizing took place while the Admarine 12 was being towed to a new drilling location. At the time, there were 30 individuals on board, including 18 from ADES. Authorities confirmed that 23 crew members were rescued shortly after the incident, while three individuals remain unaccounted for. The Egyptian navy has joined the ongoing search and rescue operations, which are being coordinated by local authorities. Amr Hanafy, the governor of the Red Sea province, reported that survivors have been transported to nearby hospitals for medical attention.

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A total of four individuals tragically lost their lives in this accident, including three employees of ADES and one contracted worker. In response to the incident, ADES expressed its heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims. Preliminary reports suggest that the barge may have experienced a technical malfunction during towing, leading to an imbalance that caused it to capsize rapidly. Local media outlets indicated that the barge was en route to the Ashrafieh platform to explore a new gas field when the incident occurred. Currently, the vessel is reported to be fully overturned, and investigations into the cause of the accident are expected to follow.