Egypt denies drone attack after fire at Damietta Port

Dubai: A fire broke out aboard two vessels at Egypt's Damietta Port on Wednesday, but the country's Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources denied reports that the incident was caused by a drone attack, saying no injuries or fatalities had been recorded.

The ministry said the fire was brought under control and that the incident did not affect port operations or energy infrastructure. It added that an investigation had been launched to determine the cause of the blaze.

Earlier, British maritime security firm Ambrey had reported that a US-owned and operated, Marshall Islands-flagged floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage facility at Damietta had been struck by at least one unmanned aerial vehicle. It was reported that gas storage tankers at the port might have been targeted by drones, while shipping agent Inchcape Shipping Services (ISS) reported an explosion during LNG cargo discharge operations. The vessels involved were subsequently moved outside the port as a precaution, and operations at other berths were expected to resume later.

In its statement, however, the Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum rejected reports of a drone strike, saying the incident involved a fire aboard two vessels and confirming there were no casualties.

Egyptian authorities have not disclosed the cause of the fire. The investigation is continuing.