Tragedy at Sea: Drilling Ship Capsizes Off Ras Ghareb, Four Dead and Four Missing
Ras Ghareb, Egypt | July 2, 2025 — A devastating maritime accident unfolded late Tuesday evening in the Gulf of Suez when an oil drilling ship capsized off the coast of Ras Ghareb, claiming at least four lives and leaving four others unaccounted for. Egyptian authorities confirmed that the vessel had 30 workers on board at the time of the incident.
The Petroleum Ministry released a statement early Wednesday confirming that rescue teams had recovered four bodies while 22 crew members were rescued and hospitalized. Search operations, involving Egyptian naval forces and local rescue teams, remain underway for the four missing individuals. The incident occurred in Gabel el-Zeit, a key oil production region approximately 300 kilometers south of the Suez Canal.
Amr Hanafy, Governor of Egypt’s Red Sea province, said the ship capsized under unclear circumstances while being tugged to a new location for further drilling operations. He emphasized that investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the tragedy.
“We are continuing to coordinate with the Navy and maritime authorities to locate the missing and assess the causes,” Hanafy said. “The safety of our workers and the preservation of our maritime operations remain our top priority.”
The capsized ship was operating in one of Egypt’s most critical offshore energy zones, located on the African flank of the Gulf of Suez. This region has long been vital to Egypt’s oil and gas production, with numerous offshore platforms and associated support vessels.
Despite the alarming nature of the incident, authorities were quick to reassure that there was no impact on international shipping traffic through the Suez Canal. Admiral Ossama Rabie, Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority, stated that vessel movement remained unaffected. “The capsizing occurred far from the canal’s direct navigational routes,” he said. “All scheduled 33 ships are transiting today as planned.”
Local media, citing unnamed maritime sources, suggested that the vessel may have faced stability issues while under tow, but these claims remain unverified. Eyewitness accounts from nearby support vessels are being collected to assist the inquiry.
Images and footage circulating on social media showed rescue boats converging near the partially submerged hull during the night, as emergency teams worked under challenging conditions to pull survivors from the water. Families of crew members have begun arriving in Ras Ghareb seeking information, and psychological support services are being arranged by local authorities.
The Petroleum Ministry extended its condolences to the victims’ families and confirmed that all safety protocols would be reviewed to prevent similar incidents in the future.
This tragedy marks one of the most serious offshore incidents in Egypt in recent years, drawing renewed attention to the safety conditions of maritime operations in the Gulf of Suez. The area, while economically critical due to its proximity to the Suez Canal and rich oil reserves, also poses natural challenges including high winds, shifting currents, and dense maritime traffic.
Officials from Egypt’s Ministry of Transport and Petroleum Safety Authority are expected to visit the site and oversee the investigation. Maritime analysts have stressed the importance of transparent reporting and a rigorous technical examination of the vessel’s seaworthiness, operational practices, and towing protocols.
As the nation mourns the loss of its workers, the search continues for those still missing. For many in the oil and maritime sectors, this incident is a somber reminder of the risks involved in offshore operations — and the urgent need for ever-stronger safety measures at sea.
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