Saudi Arabia expresses sorrow to the victims of the gas leak in Jordan
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expressed its deep pain and sorrow to the victims of the unfortunate gas leak accident that occurred in the port of Aqaba, which caused some deaths and injuries.
The Ministry expressed its standing and solidarity with the brothers in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in this great loss, offering its sincere condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims, with its wishes for a speedy recovery for all the injured, and the Kingdom of Jordan and its brotherly people continued security, peace, and stability.
A poison gas leakage accident caused by the fall of a tanker from a ship in the Jordanian port of Aqaba (328 km south of Amman) on Monday, killed 13 people and injured 260, including Jordanians and foreigners, according to a new toll announced on Tuesday.
Jordanian Prime Minister Bishr Al-Khasawneh said in statements to the official “Al-Mamlaka” channel: “Although the situation is under control, we have decided to keep an isolated distance at the scene of the accident, with a diameter of four kilometers, for additional hours,” noting that “experts’ assessments indicate that there is no risk of gas transmission to residential areas.
Al-Khasawneh confirmed Tuesday that “the situation in Aqaba is under control” after 13 people were killed and 260, including Jordanians and foreigners, were injured, after chlorine gas leaked from a tanker that fell from a ship in the port.
Al-Khasawneh, told the official “Al-Mamlaka” channel: “Although the situation is under control, we have decided to keep an isolated distance of four kilometers at the scene of the accident for additional hours,” noting He added that “experts’ assessments indicate that there is no danger of gas being transferred to residential areas.”
He continued, “I assigned the Minister of the Interior to head an investigation team that includes all the competent authorities to find out exactly what happened in this unfortunate incident, and to ensure the provision of the maximum degree of public safety for our children working in ports and to devote safety procedures in dealing with dangerous materials.”
Interior Minister Mazen Al-Faraya confirmed that “work will resume in all Aqaba ports as of Tuesday morning, except berth No. 4, to allow the way to ensure its safety once and for all.”
According to an initial toll, five people were killed and 234 others were injured, Jordanian official sources.
Aqaba is the only seaport in the Kingdom, and most of Jordan’s imports and exports pass through it, and it is one of the main ports in the Red Sea region.
