On Sunday, 03-Feb-2008, FLAG Telecom updated its progress report in repairing its two damaged submarine cables:
FLAG Europe-Asia cable (reported cut at 0800 hrs GMT on 30-Jan-2008) — a repair ship loaded with spares sailed from Catania, Italy and is expected to reach the site by 05-Feb-2008. Meanwhile, FLAG Telecom has restored circuits of customers who are covered under Pre-planned Restoration service and additional capacity is being activated on alternative routes for customers who have requested Ad hoc Restoration service.
FALCON cable (reported cut at 0559 hrs GMT on 01-Feb-2008) the location of the cut is determined to be 56 kms from Dubai, UAE on segment between UAE and Oman. The port in Abu Dhabi was closed due to bad weather, but a repair ship is fully loaded with spares and ready to set sail as soon as the weather clears. FLAG has arranged part of the Restoration capacity via terrestrial route between the landing stations in Al Khobar and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. Additional capacity is being activated on alternative routes for customers who have requested Ad hoc Restoration service.
Also on 03-February-2008, Egypt’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology said no ships crossed the site where the two marine cables (FLAG Europe-Asia and Sea-ME-We-4 )were cut under the Mediterranean Sea. According to the report, a marine transport committee investigated the traffic of ships in the area, 12 hours before and after the malfunction, where the cables are located to figure out the possibility of being cut by a passing vessel and found out there were no passing ships at that time. http://www.flagtelecom.comhttp://www.mcit.gov.eg/
