Drone Strike Suspected After Explosion at Egypt's Damietta LNG Terminal
Maritime security firm Ambrey said its initial assessment found that a drone struck the U.S.-owned floating gas storage tanker Energos Winter while it was at the port.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – An explosion was reported Wednesday evening at Egypt's Damietta Port after a fire broke out during cargo discharge operations at the liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal, with maritime security sources indicating the incident was likely caused by a drone strike.
Maritime security firm Ambrey said its initial assessment found that a drone struck the U.S.-owned floating gas storage tanker Energos Winter while it was at the port. The crew was safely evacuated, and the fire was quickly brought under control. No group has claimed responsibility for the incident.
According to three trading sources familiar with the matter, the fire started aboard the Energos Winter before spreading to a second vessel, Gaslog Salem. Two security sources also told Reuters that the explosion appeared to have resulted from a drone attack.
Egypt's Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources confirmed that the fire occurred during regasification operations but said there were no injuries or fatalities.
Petroleum Minister Karim Badawi traveled to the site to oversee the emergency response and monitor ongoing safety measures.
"The situation was handled immediately in accordance with emergency and rapid response plans," the ministry said in a statement, without identifying the cause of the fire.
Local authorities said the situation had been brought under control, and the affected vessels were safely moved outside the port area. According to Inchcape Shipping Services, operations at other berths and terminals are expected to resume overnight.
The ministry also urged media outlets and social media users to rely on official statements for accurate information, adding that it continues to monitor the situation closely and will provide updates as they become available.