CAIRO, April 14 (UPI) -- Egyptian prosecutors have won a motion to freeze the assets of the owners of the ferry that sank in the Red Sea Feb. 3, killing more than 1,000 people.
Gamal Essam El-Din reports the Shura Council agreed to freeze the assets of Mamdouh Ismail, the owner of the Al-Salam 98, which sank with 1,417 people aboard after a fire broke out en route from Saudi Arabia to Safaga, Egypt. Some 387 people were rescued.
The assets will remain frozen until a full investigation of the incident is completed to keep Ismail from transferring them out of Egypt, Al-Ahram reported.
Trying to allay criticism, Ismail took out an ad last weekend, announcing the British company that insured the ferry had agreed to pay claims stemming from the sinking, allowing him to distribute compensation to victims' families. So far, nearly $1.49 million has been paid out to families of 40 of the dead and to 170 survivors. Another $27.7 million is being processed, Ismail said.
