Cairo, Egypt — One of the world’s largest cargo ships that has been blocking the Suez Canal, the world’s busiest waterway, since Tuesday may be stuck due to “technical or human errors,” instead of “wind gusts.”
The Ever Given, described as being a “skyscraper-sized” ship carrying cargo between Asia and Europe became wedged in the canal after the ship ran aground in the narrow canal, was initially said to have gotten stuck due to “wind,” the Associated Press (AP) reported.
SUEZ CANAL BLOCKED: The 400-meter long MV Ever Given remains stuck sideways inside the narrowest part of the waterway, with vessels pilling up north and south of it unable to cross. Our full story is here: https://t.co/tD2IHzluso pic.twitter.com/d2OZ0pkAk7
— Javier Blas (@JavierBlas) March 24, 2021
Since then efforts to free the ship have been ongoing, with eleven tugboats working around the clock Saturday, and two additional tugboats joining the mission on Sunday, while more than 300 ships either remain in a traffic jam or have rerouted.
“There may have been technical or human errors,” General Osama Rabie, the Chairman for the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) explained in an update regarding the situation BBC News reported. “All of these factors will become apparent in the investigation.”
“The rudder was not moving and it is now moving, the propeller is working now, there was no water underneath the bow, and now there is water under it, and yesterday there was a 4m (13ft) deviation in the bow and the stern,” Rabie added.
Egyptian President Abdul Fattah Al-Sisi made the decision on Sunday to have the cargo ship partially unloaded, making it lighter and slightly easier to move, the New York Daily News reported.
Egypt’s President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi ordered the cargo ship blocking the Suez Canal to be partially unloaded to make the stuck boat a little easier to move.https://t.co/ZHl0Yr43II
— New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) March 28, 2021
RELATED: Israel’s Election Again Yield Uncertain Political Results
To contact Elizabeth, please reach out through The Liberty Loft website. Be sure to subscribe to The Liberty Loft’s daily newsletter. If you enjoy our content, please consider donating to support The Liberty Loft so we can continue to deliver great content.