The trial of an Israeli tanker captain accused of spilling oil in the Gulf of Suez opened Tuesday in an Egyptian maritime court at E-Tur, but was promptly postponed until Dec. 5.
The judge said he needed time to study the many documents generated by the investigation.
The tanker Nyuta was arrested by the Egyptian authorities on Oct. 21. It was released last Friday on President Hosni Mubarak’s orders.
But the vessel and crew remained at the East Zeid Bay oil port, waiting for its master, Capt. Zvi Yosef, to resume command. The Egyptian authorities placed Yosef in custody of the Israeli Embassy in Cairo over the weekend.
Israeli officials are trying to arrange for him to return to Eilat with his ship, on the strength of guarantees that he will appear in the Egyptian court next month.
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