Phosphate barge's sinking threatens Nile drinking water

An Egyptian barge carrying phosphates sank yesterday in the Nile River in the Beni Suef governorate, Diabia village, 92 km from Cairo.

The accident was the result of a collision with another barge heavily-loaded with rocks. The seven crewmen on board were rescued.

Dr. Nadia Makram Ebied, the Egypt minister for environmental affairs, traveled to the scene of the accident, accompanied by the governors of Beni Suef, Cairo, and Guiza.

Security measures were taken to prevent the leakage of the phosphates into the water of the Nile, which provides drinking water.

All the Nile outlets in the region were closed while 376 tons of phosphates were being taken out of the water. The phosphates were kept in a huge plastic containers, appropriately closed.

Beni Suef's governor has implemented measures to provide citizens with temporary sources of water in the area, until checks needed to to determine whether there was any leakage of phosphates into the water are completed. There is no danger so far, a source told Al Ahrar today.