Sputnik News recently reported on an accident in the Gulf of Suez, Egypt, that involved a cargo ship flying a Panamanian flag and a fishing vessel, Badr, carrying 40 crew. As a result, local boats were dispatched to assist as differing accounts of the collision have surfaced through the media.
The two boats crashed into each other on Sunday, with the crew of the smaller boat most affected: Roughly a third were declared dead, with the same amount missing and 14 crew workers rescued. That information comes from the Agence France-Presse (AFP), one of many different media outlets referenced by Sputnik, several of which have their own estimates to the crew that were hurt. Some say the crew numbered 45 individuals and that only 11 are dead.
Yet another source, Al Arabiya News, quotes Bakri Abu Al-Hassan of an Egyptian fisherman's organization, who gave his own number estimates for the crew.
"Rescue operations have been ongoing for hours. So far 11 have survived, some are in serious conditions," he said. "Eleven bodies of dead fishermen were taken, and now we are looking for 18 more." Al Arabiya also claims that aid sources flocked to Al-Tur on the lower section of the Sinai peninsula for help. The cargo ship was reportedly bound for Jeddah in Saudi Arabia from Italy.
Accidents that take place in waters bordered by multiple companies bring up concerns of international marine insurance. Purchasing crew-specific policies that relate to possible damages helps fight ambiguities and gives insurance professionals a better idea of what happened and how much needs to be covered. Both the workers and the vessel needs to be taken care of, specifically in the event of massive irreparable damages that leave the boat unusable.