Two tankers have collided in Egypt’s Suez Canal, disrupting traffic in the vital waterway

BY SAMY MAGDY
The Associated Press

CAIRO (AP) — Egyptian authorities say two tankers have collided in the Suez Canal, disrupting traffic through the global waterway. The Suez Canal authority says the BW Lesmes, a Singapore-flagged tanker that carries liquefied natural gas, suffered a mechanical malfunction and ran aground while transiting through the canal. The Burri, a Cayman Island-flagged tanker which carries oil products, collided with the broken vessel. The Suez Canal authorities say they managed to refloat and tow away the BW Lesmes, while efforts are underway to remove the Burri from the waterway. Wednesday’s incident is the latest case of a vessel reported stuck in the crucial waterway over the past few years, causing disruption to global trade.