Barge sinking at Egypt's Aswan port prompts oil slick response

CAIRO – 27 June 2026: Authorities have launched an environmental response after a river barge sank at the High Dam east port in southern Egypt’s Aswan and caused an oil slick.

The Ministry of Local Development and Environment in a statement on Saturday affirmed coordinated efforts to conserve environment and protect water quality at Lake Nasser in the wake of the accident.

The ministry stated that the spill occurred in a sheltered area within the Lake Nasser shipping port, away from the main watercourse.

The vessel sank to a depth of about 15 meters, creating an oil slick measuring around 200 meters by 100 meters. Fuel and oil leaked from the barge’s tank and engines, the statement said.

Water samples collected from the site showed some water quality indicators exceeded permitted limits due to a layer of fuel and oil on the surface.

Authorities coordinated with the environment and water police to disperse the slick and mitigate its environmental impact, while environmental monitoring and water quality testing continue.