Police in Umm Al Quwain have rescued the crew of a ship that sank 11 nautical miles off the Emirate’s coast, according to government press agency WAM.
Dr Rashid Ahmed bin Fahad, Minister of Environment and Water, said a technical team is currently gathering data on the location of the sunken vessel as the ministry works to minimise the environmental impact and safely salvage the ship.
According to early reports, the vessel White Whale is carrying 450 tons of diesel and is sitting in 35m of water off the UAQ coast. Officials say none of the fuel has escaped as yet.
”The team is coordinating with other specialists and experts from federal and local authorities as well as the private sector to collect information about the size, age, wellbeing and location of the sunken ship,” the minister said.
Further information about the ship, its country of register or the number of crew saved, was not made available