Tug boats and diggers are trying to free a huge container ship that ran aground in the Suez Canal in Egypt, blocking one of the world’s key shipping routes.
Egyptian officials said the Ever Given became stuck on Tuesday morning during a sandstorm.
It has held up dozens of other vessels both north and south of the canal, which provides a vital link for freight between Asia and Europe.
Oil prices rose on world markets on Wednesday amid fears that crude oil shipments could be delayed by the blockage.