Egypt's Cabinet says preliminary probe finds drone behind Damietta Port vessel fire

A preliminary investigation by relevant authorities has found that a drone caused the fire involving two vessels at Damietta Port on Wednesday, Egypt's Cabinet said.

In a statement on Thursday, the Cabinet said no party has claimed responsibility for the incident.

It added that relevant authorities are continuing investigations to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and take the necessary measures to safeguard Egypt's interests and national security.

On Wednesday, the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources said a fire broke out involving a regasification vessel and a storage vessel at Damietta Port, without causing any casualties or injuries.

The ministry said that emergency and rapid response plans were activated immediately after the fire was reported, with on-site firefighting and security teams working alongside relevant authorities to contain the incident.

According to a ministry statement, Petroleum Minister Karim Badawi arrived at the scene to oversee the emergency response, monitor firefighting and security operations, and ensure all safety procedures were implemented in coordination with the relevant authorities.

The ministry urged media outlets and social media users to rely on official statements for updates, adding that it would continue monitoring the situation and announce any new developments.