The Tunisian navy rescued all seven crew members from the ship, which was bound for Equatorial Guinea in Malta, and sent an emergency call seven miles away from the southern city of Gabes, the sources added.
The cause of the incident was bad weather, the Ministry of Environment announced, adding that water had penetrated the ship, reaching a height of two meters.
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The commercial merchant ship that sank off the coast of Gabes in Tunisia on 15 April 2022 shows this brochure photo taken in Rostov-on-Don, Russia on 12 November 2017. Dmitry Frolov / Brochure via REUTERS
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Authorities are working to prevent an environmental catastrophe and reduce the impact, the ministry said in a statement.
He said dams would be set up to limit the spread of fuel and blockage from the ship before the leak was aspirated.
The Gambes coast has been heavily polluted for years, with environmental groups saying industrial plants in the area are dumping waste directly into the sea.
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Report by Tarek Amara. Writes Alaa Swilam. Edited by Sandra Maler and Himani Sarkar. edited by David Evans
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