Egyptian authorities say attack on Suez Canal fails

An attack on a ship passing through the Suez Canal in Egypt on Saturday failed said the head of canal authority Mohab Memish. (Khalil Hamra/Associated Press)

An attack staged on a container ship passing through the Suez Canal on Saturday failed the head of the Suez Canal Authority Mohab Memish said.

The Suez Canal is a key global shipping line and the attack was an attempt to disrupt the flow of ships through the waterway,

"The attempt failed completely and there was no damage to the ship or the containers it carried. The situation was dealt with strictly by the armed forces," Memish said in a statement.

The statement did not specify what kind of attack it was but shipping sources told Reuters they heard the sound of two explosions as the ship passed through the waterway.