(AFP Photo)
Several Egyptian fishermen were killed as a result of a collision between a fishing boat and a container ship on the Red Sea at 12am Sunday.
State-owned newspaper Al-Ahram reported that 11 fishermen were killed, while South Sinai governorate spokesperson Ayman Mohamed said the death toll was eight. The boat carried 40 fishermen, 18 of whom are now missing, according to the spokesman.
The collision felt “like a thunderbolt, and no one could do anything” said Mohamed Zakria, 38, one of the fisherman on the boat at the time of the accident. He added that he heard a warning siren once the “giant boat” was 50 metres away – the fishing boat had no headlights.
The marine rescue forces managed to transfer 11 injured fishermen to Al-Tor Hospital, while the Prosecutor is set to investigate the case, said the governorate spokesman.
State-media reported that the Red Sea Port authorities stated they will confiscate the container ship, which was said to be sailing from Italy to the port of Jeddah, in Saudi Arabia.
