Barge capsizes in Gulf of Suez, leaving several dead and missing

Egypt's Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources confirmed late Tuesday that a barge capsized in the Gulf of Suez off the country's eastern coast as local media reported several deaths and dozens of missing workers.

"We received a report from Offshore Shukheir Oil Company (Osoco) regarding the capsizing of its offshore barge 'Adam Marine 12' in the Jabal Zeyt area of the Gulf of Suez, the ministry said in a statement.

It added that both the ministers of petroleum and labor rushed to the scene accompanied by senior officials to assess the situation firsthand and supervise immediate response efforts.

"We are following developments moment by moment, coordinating with relevant agencies and affiliated companies in the region," the statement added.

No official casualty figures have been released so far.

However, Egyptian media outlets, including Al-Shorouk and Youm7, reported conflicting casualty numbers.

Al-Shorouk cited three confirmed deaths, six rescues and 21 people still missing, noting the barge overturned while being towed to a new offshore worksite near the Ashrafi platform.

Meanwhile, Youm7 reported four deaths but did not confirm the number of missing or rescued.

No official statements have been issued by Egyptian authorities regarding the reported fatalities.