Passenger cruise liner sinks after Suez Canal collision

CAIRO – An Egyptian passenger cruiser carrying more than 1 300 Muslim pilgrims collided with a cargo ship at the Suez Canal’s southern entrance late on Monday, causing a stampede among panicked passengers on their sinking vessel that killed one person, officials and state-run media said.

Another 100 people were injured in the stampede to flee the Salam 95, which was struck by the Cypriot-registered Jebal Ali at 7.30pm local time near Port Tawfiq, about 130km east of the Egyptian capital, Cairo, port and police officials said. At least 12 rescue boats rescued the bulk of the 1 350 passengers from the Salam 95, most of whom were Egyptian except for five Palestinians, before the vessel sank three hours later, the officials said on condition of anonymity as they were unauthorised to speak to the media.The cargo vessel was entering the Red Sea after crossing the Suez Canal from the Mediterranean when it rammed into the Egyptian ship, gouging a 5m-diameter hole in its side through which sea water flooded into its engine room, Egypt’s semi-official Middle East News Agency reported.Losses from the mishap totalled about US$7 million, port officials said.The Egyptian ship set off from the Saudi Arabian Red Sea port of Jiddah with its passengers who had performed a pilgrimage to Islam’s holiest sites in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.The accident did not force the closure of the 190km Suez Canal, through which about 7,5 per cent of world sea trade passes.Egypt yesterday launched an investigation into the collision.Transport Minister Essam Sheriff told reporters that a probe “had immediately been launched into the incident”.”Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak followed the developments and has received detailed reports on the rescue effort from the relevant authorities,” said his spokesman Suleiman Awad.A dozen rescue boats rushed to the stricken ship and managed to bring all passengers back to safety, before it sank.The Cypriot vessel remained afloat.”Ninety-eight people were wounded, two of them seriously.Most of them were wounded in the panic that ensued,” Health Minister Mohammed Awad Tag Eddin told Egyptian television.Cyprus state radio said there were no casualties among the Cypriot-flagged ship’s Indian crew and the vessel was believed to have sustained only light damage.- Nampa-AP-AFPAt least 12 rescue boats rescued the bulk of the 1 350 passengers from the Salam 95, most of whom were Egyptian except for five Palestinians, before the vessel sank three hours later, the officials said on condition of anonymity as they were unauthorised to speak to the media.The cargo vessel was entering the Red Sea after crossing the Suez Canal from the Mediterranean when it rammed into the Egyptian ship, gouging a 5m-diameter hole in its side through which sea water flooded into its engine room, Egypt’s semi-official Middle East News Agency reported.Losses from the mishap totalled about US$7 million, port officials said.The Egyptian ship set off from the Saudi Arabian Red Sea port of Jiddah with its passengers who had performed a pilgrimage to Islam’s holiest sites in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.The accident did not force the closure of the 190km Suez Canal, through which about 7,5 per cent of world sea trade passes.Egypt yesterday launched an investigation into the collision.Transport Minister Essam Sheriff told reporters that a probe “had immediately been launched into the incident”.”Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak followed the developments and has received detailed reports on the rescue effort from the relevant authorities,” said his spokesman Suleiman Awad.A dozen rescue boats rushed to the stricken ship and managed to bring all passengers back to safety, before it sank.The Cypriot vessel remained afloat.”Ninety-eight people were wounded, two of them seriously.Most of them were wounded in the panic that ensued,” Health Minister Mohammed Awad Tag Eddin told Egyptian television.Cyprus state radio said there were no casualties among the Cypriot-flagged ship’s Indian crew and the vessel was believed to have sustained only light damage.- Nampa-AP-AFP