'God is Great'! Crew Celebrate Partial Refloat of Ship Blocking Suez Canal

Published March 29th, 2021 - 07:46 GMT
A view of the Panama-flagged MV 'Ever Given' (operated by Taiwan-based Evergreen Marine) container ship
This picture taken on March 29, 2021 shows a view of the Panama-flagged MV 'Ever Given' (operated by Taiwan-based Evergreen Marine) container ship, a 400-metre- (1,300-foot-)long and 59-metre wide vessel, as it remains lodged sideways impeding traffic across Egypt's Suez Canal waterway. Egypt's Suez Canal Authority said on March 29 the Ever Given container ship, which has been blocking the crucial waterway for nearly a week, has been turned in the "right direction". "The position of the ship has been reorientated 80 percent in the right direction," SCA chief Osama Rabie said in a statement. Over 300 ships are currently waiting to travel through the canal. Ahmed HASAN / AFP
Highlights
Another video shows a captain aboard a tugboat, smiling and flashing the camera a thumbs up, saying, “Thank God, well done boys!”

Cheers of celebrations went up in the moments after a container ship stranded in the Suez Canal was partially refloated on Monday.

Multiple videos are doing the rounds on social media showing crew aboard tugboats cheering the progress of the Ever Given, which had been blocking the Suez Canal and was partially re-floated on Monday after six days of intensive efforts.

Egyptian crew aboard one of the 10 tugboats tasked with freeing the ship can be heard in the background of the video, loudly thanking God by shouting “God is great”, while several boats honk for joy.

Another video shows a captain aboard a tugboat, smiling and flashing the camera a thumbs up, saying, “Thank God, well done boys!”

As of Monday, the Ever Given has been partially re-floated and has started its engines, raising hopes the busy waterway will soon be reopened.

At least 369 vessels were waiting to transit the canal, including dozens of container ships, bulk carriers, oil tankers and liquefied natural gas (LNG) or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) vessels, SCA Chairman Osama Rabie told Egypt’s Extra News on Sunday.

This article has been adapted from its original source.

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