Suez Canal navigation unaffected as vessel capsizes in Suez Gulf with 4 killed, 4 missing

CAIRO – 2 July 2025: Navigation through the Suez Canal is proceeding normally in both directions and has not been affected by the recent capsizing of a vessel in the Gulf of Suez, according to Osama Rabie, chairman of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA).

The Admarine 12, a jack-up barge owned by a subsidiary of Saudi offshore drilling service provider ADES, was carrying 30 people when it capsized near Egypt's Gabal El-Zeit area in Ras Ghareb city late on Tuesday.

The Red Sea governorate announced that 22 people have been rescued, while the bodies of four individuals have been recovered, and four others are still missing. The search for survivors is ongoing, the governorate confirmed.

ADES identified the deceased as three personnel from ADES and one contractor, Reuters reported.

 

The survivors were transported to the private El Gouna Hospital, with four flown in by air and 18 taken by ambulance, while the deceased were moved to Hurghada General Hospital, according to the governorate.

The Ministry of Health dispatched 27 ambulances, including 20 to the incident site and seven to El Gouna Airport.

Governor Amr Hanafy noted that the national emergency and public safety network received a distress report from the barge at around 8 PM on Tuesday. The barge was used to transport equipment, personnel, and specialized devices for drilling operations in the Gabal El-Zeit area.

The governor added that the Armed Forces swiftly deployed a marine unit from one of their bases in the Red Sea, emphasizing that their quick response played a crucial role in the rescue of most of the individuals involved.

The incident occurred approximately 130 nautical miles from the southern entrance of the Suez Canal in the Red Sea, the SCA chief said.

Rabie provided reassurances regarding the operations of this vital international trade route, confirming that maritime traffic continues at normal rates and that the incident occurred outside the canal's navigational channel.

He noted that the authority’s crisis and disaster management center is closely monitoring developments surrounding the incident, emphasizing the authority's readiness to offer necessary assistance if required.

On Wednesday, the canal is witnessing the passage of 33 vessels from both directions, with a total net tonnage of 1.4 million tons, Rabie said.