Captain of barge in Egypt that leaked gasoline into Nile blames low water level for spill

Egypt: Low water level blamed for Nile oil spill

LUXOR, Egypt — A security official says the captain of a barge that leaked some 100 tons of gasoline into the Nile River in southern Egypt has blamed a drop in water levels for the spill.

Captain Yasser Hussein told police that low water levels caused the boat to tilt and partially submerge Saturday after it docked to unload in Aswan, allowing the fuel to leak.

The official said Sunday the barge was unloaded to refloat it.

He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Luxor governor Samir Farag said the small slick fragmented as it passed through an area of dense grass and coral.

A senior official, Hussein Ali, said the slick is 60 yards (meters) wide and 1.2 miles (2 kilometers) long.