Africa News of Thursday, 1 April 2021

Source: africanews.com

Salvage workers talk about freeing Ever Given

'Ever Given' ship stucked in Suez Canal before being freed 'Ever Given' ship stucked in Suez Canal before being freed

The 'Ever Given' container ship which was stranded at Egypt's Suez Canal has since been freed but the efforts to free the ship which was stuck for nearly a week continues to be discussed.

Two workers who helped salvage the stricken container ship said on Wednesday that some people were "shedding tears" when the vessel was dislodged.

For six days the Panama-flagged vessel blocked a crucial artery of global shipping after it crashed into the bank of the canal.

During those six days, Mostafa Mohamed and Ahmed Ezzat were among a team who worked around the clock to dislodge the ship.

Speaking to the Associated Press, Mostafa described the moment the vessel was finally free as "a joy beyond imagination and out of the heart."

"When we floated the ship, I found some people shedding tears and others were happy and hugging each other. It was a joy beyond imagination and out of the heart, especially for the individuals involved in its rescue." Mostafa Mohamed, Ever Given ship rescue salvage worker.

The blockage had halted billions of dollars a day in maritime commerce.

For six long days and nights, the team of Egyptian, Dutch and Japanese workers dredged huge amounts of sand and attempted to pull the vessel free using nearly a dozen ordinary tugboats.

The vessel is now anchored in the Great Bitter Lake, a wide stretch of water halfway between the north and south ends of the canal.