The container ship Pumba, reportedly operated by Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), caught fire on the evening of July 29 while underway. The fire has since been brought under control.

Fortunately, no casualties were reported in the incident.

According to an official statement, Egypt’s maritime control center in Ras Gharib, located on the Red Sea, issued an alert on July 29 reporting an engine room fire aboard the Pumba. At the time of the incident, the vessel was sailing near an offshore oil platform.

The Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources immediately coordinated with relevant authorities and dispatched four dedicated tugboats to assist in firefighting and rescue operations.

The ministry confirmed that the fire has been completely extinguished, no injuries occurred, and the vessel has been towed to a safe anchorage away from active shipping lanes.

Maritime tracking data shows that the Pumba is registered under the Liberian flag, built in 2006, and measures 294 meters in length.

There are differing accounts regarding the vessel's operator. While the Egyptian ministry’s statement names MSC as the operator, ship tracking data indicates that the vessel is managed by SeaLead and is currently deployed on the China–Turkey Five Seas Express (5CX) service.

According to voyage data, the ship is en route to Qingdao Port in China, traveling at a speed of 10 knots, with an estimated arrival time of 10:00 a.m. on August 19.

In July 2024, the Pumba was reportedly targeted in the Red Sea near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. It was subject to multiple incidents involving drone and unmanned vessel attacks, resulting in minor damage.