Egypt Daily News – A major maritime disaster unfolded off Egypt’s Red Sea coast as the offshore drilling barge “AdMarine 12” sank near the Gebel El-Zeit area, resulting in the confirmed deaths of three crew members, the rescue of six others, and an ongoing search for 21 missing individuals.
Search and rescue operations at sea continued today, supported by specialized boats and support vessels, until the last light of Wednesday. These efforts were aimed at finding the missing individuals from the sunken oil rig incident, “Admarine 12,” which occurred in the Gebel El-Zeit area, north of the Red Sea Governorate.
Maritime sources involved in the search operations confirmed that, as of sunset on Wednesday, no missing persons had been found. The geographical search area at sea has been expanded to increase the chances of locating them.
The incident occurred on Tuesday evening as the barge, operated by a petroleum services contractor, was being towed by three marine vessels to a new offshore site near the Al-Ashrafi platform. Onboard were 31 crew members, including technicians and operational staff. The barge capsized and sank in the Gulf of Suez, between the Gebel El-Zeit region and the Hilal petroleum platform.
Search and rescue operations commenced immediately under the supervision of the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, in coordination with local authorities and marine logistics companies. The state-owned JABCO company deployed multiple support vessels and rescue teams to the scene, while two helicopters were dispatched to assist aerial surveillance and search efforts.
By Wednesday morning, 21 individuals had been rescued, some suffering from bone fractures and other injuries. Three bodies were recovered, and search operations remain active for the remaining missing persons, amid increasingly difficult conditions offshore.
The Ministry of Petroleum issued a statement confirming that Minister Karim Badawi and Minister of Labor Mohamed Gebran traveled to the site to oversee rescue efforts and assess emergency measures firsthand. The Ministry emphasized its commitment to transparency, stating it will continue providing updates as the situation develops.
Insurance and Economic Implications
In the wake of the tragedy, details have emerged regarding the financial value of the barge and the extent of its insurance coverage. A senior source in Egypt’s insurance market revealed that the estimated value of the comprehensive insurance policy for the “Ed Marine 12” is approximately $30 million (around EGP 1.5 billion).
The offshore unit, used primarily for shallow water drilling and maintenance, was insured by the Egyptian Takaful Insurance Company (Property Branch). The policy provides full marine risk coverage, including damages from fire, explosions, collision, storms, environmental hazards, third-party liabilities, personal injuries or deaths, and the costs of rescue and towing operations in the event of major incidents.
Insurance broker Mohamed El-Ghotrify confirmed the barge was properly insured, emphasizing the legal and operational necessity of such policies to mitigate the financial and legal risks associated with large-scale offshore operations. He noted that both local and international maritime laws often mandate this type of coverage, and investigations may be conducted to confirm compliance with all safety and insurance regulations.
Official Response and Investigation Underway
Initial reports were filed by JABCO’s Ras Shukeir marine tower after supervisors received emergency alerts from the scene. Senior maritime officers Captain Mohamed Abdel Hadi and Captain Karim Ayad ordered immediate deployment of support vessels and initiated coordination with air rescue teams.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the cause of the accident, including whether weather conditions, mechanical failure, or towing protocol contributed to the barge’s capsizing. Maritime experts suggest that such units are particularly vulnerable during transport if load balancing and weather risks are not meticulously managed.
This incident marks one of the most serious offshore accidents in recent years in Egypt’s petroleum sector, raising questions about maritime safety standards and emergency preparedness in oil and gas logistics operations.
As rescue teams press on and families of the missing await news, the nation watches closely for developments. The Ministry of Petroleum has pledged to fully support the families of victims and survivors, and to cooperate with investigative authorities to ensure accountability and prevent similar tragedies in the future.
