Red Sea oil spill hits Egyptian resort

Egypt admitted today that oil has leaked from one of several rigs operating off the coast of the Red Sea resort of Hurghada.

Government spokesman Magdy Rady said the amount was “limited”, but he did not say how much.

He said the spill was detected last week and has been largely contained, according to comments carried by the official Middle East News Agency.

Oil company officials in the port city of Suez said the spill was caused by a leak from an offshore oil platform in Jebel al-Zayt, north of Hurghada, and has polluted about 100 miles of coastline including tourist beach resorts.

Hurghada is one of Egypt’s leading tourist destinations and the government kept quiet about the leak for days.