100 tons of diesel spill into river Nile
By Guyson Nanagayi – Cairo – Egypt’s barge carrying 244 tons of diesel fuel has sank into the Nile river spilling over 100 tons of diesel fuel while attempting to dock near Aswan, some 980km south of the capital Cairo, media and state sources reported on Sunday.
Sources say the spill has covered at least one square kilometre of the river’s surface.
At least 100 tons of diesel spilled into the Nile, the al-Masry al-Youm daily reported, though other sources said up to double that amount could have leaked into the waters.
Civil defence and emergency forces were working to clean the spill and at least one person, the captain of the vessel, was arrested.
The government has shut down all water distillation plants in the area.
