A suspected drone strike has targeted liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage tankers at Egypt’s Mediterranean port of Damietta, according to an initial assessment by British maritime security firm Ambrey. The drone reportedly struck the U.S.-owned LNG storage vessel Energos Winter, igniting a fire onboard. The blaze quickly spread to a second docked LNG tanker, the Gaslog Salem. Emergency teams have since brought the fires on both ships under control. No casualties have been reported, and the crews of both vessels have been safely evacuated.
On Wednesday, two vessels docked at Egypt’s Damietta Port caught fire. Speaking to the Al-Hadath channel, Egyptian maritime officials denied that the port was attacked, disputing independent assessments of a drone breaching Egyptian airspace. Instead, officials stated the incident was caused by an accidental fire that broke out in the engine room of the Energos Winter, an LNG floating storage unit, before spreading to the adjacent tanker.
So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the suspected drone strike targeting the LNG floating storage unit. In a recent statement, Egyptian Petroleum Minister Karim Badawi announced that a formal investigation has been launched to determine the exact cause of the blaze, adding that technical teams have already been deployed to the site.
This is a breaking news story. Information will be updated as details become available.
