Gaza-bound Libyan aid ship arrives in Egypt's port

by Islam Yehia, Li laifang, Feng Kang

A Libyan-commissioned aid ship bound for the Gaza Strip arrived in the Egyptian port of El- Arish late Wednesday.

Gamal Abdel Maqsoud, the port's director, told Xinhua late Wednesday night that the Libyan ship was still some 500 meters from the pier and was waiting for the permission from Libyan leader to dock at the port. A vessel from the port had been sent to tow it upon its arrival.

The ship carries some 2,000 tons of medical and food aid, including 500 tons of flour, 255 tons of wheat, 200 tons of edible oil, 45 tons of milk and 28 huge pallets containing medicine, he said.

About 20 people, including 12 crew members of different nationalities and eight Libyan activists were on board, the port official added.

Osama El-Sergany, head of the Egyptian Red Crescent (ERC) branch in El-Arish, said the ERC is prepared to unload the shipment and take it by trucks to Gaza.

The shipment would be unloaded Wednesday night and the process might complete by midday Thursday, another port source told Xinhua. But the unloading still had not begun at around 11 p.m. (2000 GMT) Wednesday as it had not completely docked.

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