Ukraine’s Embassy in Cairo has sent a note to Egpyt’s Foreign Ministry demanding clarification of the situation involving an oil tanker detained by the Egyptian Naval Forces in the Red Sea. The crew includes more than a dozen Ukrainian citizens. Ukrainian diplomats requested permission to visit the vessel, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry’s Consular Service Department Deputy Director Vasyl Kyrylych has said.
“Ukraine’s Embassy sent a note to the Egyptian Foreign Ministry requesting clarification regarding the situation that has developed, as well as permission to visit the vessel by consular officials,” he told the Kyiv-based Interfax-Ukraine news agency on May 19 afternoon.
He also noted that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine instructed the Embassy of Egypt to immediately carry out a set of measures to resolve the situation.
“This case is under special control of the Department of Consular Services,” the diplomat said.
Ukrainian and foreign media said the seized ship is the oil tanker “Sea Shark” built in 1991. The crew consists of 19 Ukrainian citizens, a citizen of Azerbaijan, 11 citizens of the Philippines, Sri Lanka and India.
