The incident reportedly killed four crew members, while six remain missing

A drilling rig has sunk in the Gulf of Suez, Egypt's Petroleum Ministry has reported, citing the company operating the barge. Four members of the 31-person crew were killed in the incident while six others are missing, according to local news portal Al-Youm as-Sabia.

The drillship, identified as Adam Marine 12, capsized Tuesday evening, the ministry said in a Facebook post on Wednesday. The maritime incident, reported to the ministry by the Offshore Shukheir Oil Company (OSOCO), occurred in the Mount Oil area of the Red Sea, about 300km south of the Suez Canal.

The capsized vessel was operating in a concession owned by offshore drilling service provider ADES, where it was drilling several wells, Reuters reported, citing industry sources. The company had reportedly assigned OSOCO to conduct drilling operations using the barge, which was being relocated to a new site at the time of the accident.

The ministry said it is monitoring developments and taking steps in coordination with specialized authorities and its affiliates in the region.

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The Red Sea and the Suez Canal, a strategic waterway connecting Europe and Asia, have been volatile since late 2023, when the Yemen-based Houthis began targeting tankers and other merchant vessels sailing through the route, complicating maritime traffic in the region.

The Suez Canal is one of the most vital links for international shipping. According to data from Kpler, typically 10-12% of worldwide crude exports and 14-15% of oil product exports, including gasoline and diesel, transit through the Red Sea.