The oil tanker carrying 750 tons of fuel, blocked off the coast of Tunisia due to sea conditions, sank.
The crew had been evacuated.
An environmental disaster is now feared.
Local authorities announced it.
Due to bad sea conditions, the oil tanker Xelo, flying the flag of Equatorial Guinea, coming from Egypt and bound for Malta, had asked to be allowed to enter Tunisian territorial waters.
The crew initially approached the Tunisian authorities to obtain permission to disembark.
But the sea water flooded the ship's engine room to a height of two meters and thus the entire crew was evacuated.
Joint Navy, Transport and Customs teams as well as the Gabès regional authorities had tried to keep the ship stable to prevent it from sinking.
