Thursday September 1, 2022
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The Suez Canal is a vital waterway for global maritime traffic (file photo)
An oil tanker ran aground in Egypt’s Suez Canal on Wednesday night, briefly blocking a section of the canal and clogging maritime traffic.
Traffic resumed hours later after the Singapore-flagged vessel, Affinity V, was refloated by tug boats.
The incident was caused by a technical fault to the ship’s radar that resulted in loss of control, the Suez Canal Authority said.
The Suez Canal is a vital waterway that connects the Mediterranean and the Red Sea and sees over 10% of the world's maritime trade.
Last year, a huge container ship, the Ever Given, ran aground after becoming wedged diagonally on the channel.
For about a week, the stranded vessel became a source of worry and frustration for the global shipping industry before it was freed.