CAIRO — The Chairman of the Egypt's Suez Canal Authority (SCA) Lt. Gen. Osama Rabie confirmed that rescue units and SCA's tugboats are continuing their efforts to rescue and refloat a giant Panamanian container ship that ran aground while crossing the canal on its trip from China to Rotterdam.

In a statement issued by SCA Wednesday, Lt. Gen. Rabie sent a message of reassurance regarding the movement of navigation in the canal and its regularity again through the course of the original canal, underscoring that SCA spares no effort to ensure the regularity of navigation and service of global trade traffic.

The accident occurred Tuesday, and it happened mainly due to the lack of visibility resulting from the bad weather conditions due to a dust storm and strong winds of 40 knots, which led to the loss of the ability to steer the ship and then its eventual stranding, the statement explained.

Upon the occurrence of the accident, the crisis management team was formed, and the current rescue operations are carried out through the SCA with eight tugboats attempting to free the ship, it added.

The 224,000-ton Panamanian container ship is 400 meters in length and 59 meters wide, the statement indicated. — KUNA