Suez Canal: Ships begin sailing through cleared waterway

Ships have started sailing through Egypt's Suez Canal again, a day after a giant container vessel blocking the vital trade route was freed.

Thirty-seven ships that were struck at the midway point cleared the waterway overnight, while 70 others are due to travel its entire length on Tuesday.

The canal authorities hope to clear the traffic jam of some 300 vessels waiting to use it within three-and-a-half days.

Meanwhile, the freed ship will be inspected for seaworthiness by experts.

The 400m-long (1,312ft), 200,000-tonne Ever Given became wedged diagonally across the canal a week ago after running aground amid high winds.

It was refloated on Monday afternoon after a salvage operation involving a flotilla of powerful tug boats and dredging vessels that shifted 30,000 cubic metres (1,059,000 cubic ft) of mud and sand.