According to the government, fuel is threatening to leak from a freighter in distress off the coast of Tunisia.
The Tunisian Ministry of the Environment announced on Saturday that an emergency plan had been activated to prevent an environmental disaster.
The ship is located in the Gulf of Gabès around seven kilometers off the coast and has around 750 tons of diesel on board.
Because water has penetrated the freighter flying the flag of Equatorial Guinea, it is said to be in danger of sinking completely.
However, the situation is currently under control.
According to the ministry, the ship was en route from the Egyptian port city of Damietta to Malta.
Due to bad weather, it was forced to anchor off the coast of Tunisia on Friday evening.
The water penetrated two meters into the engine room.
The crew of seven had been brought overboard.