Two oil tankers collided off Egypt's northern Mediterranean coast on Saturday, causing an oil spill, Egyptian shipping sources said. One of the sources said the tankers collided in an area about 14 nautical miles from the Egyptian port of Damietta, adding that the collision occurred as a result of high winds in the area. He identified the ships as the Genmar Kestrel, a tanker carrying the flag of the Marshall Islands, and the Singapore-flagged Trigata. The official Middle East News Agency said 1,000 tonnes of oil spilled from the Genmar Kestrel, while 500 tonnes had spilled from the Trigata. It was not immediately clear how much either vessel was carrying or their capacity. The collision made a hole in the Genmar Kestrel about 1 metre long by 35 cm wide, which was about 4.5 metres below the waterline, causing the oil to spill and creating a slick in the area, the source said. The source said efforts to control the slick had already begun.
