in Spite of bad weather and rough seas forces to fight after the sinking of a freighter in the Bay of Biscay against a possible oil Spill. Several Oil slicks to drift currently on France’s Atlantic coast. Brown silt that was washed up on a beach in the Gironde Region, this is contrary to the first fears no heavy oil of the on Tuesday the sunken cargo ship “Grande America”.
if You try the drifting Oil slicks continue to contain, shared with the competent Seepräfektur. The lake was rough, but the work will continue. A ship from Spain is supposed to be starting on Monday to support in use. Currently, several ships are in place to prevent the spread of the Oil. The environment Minister, François de Rugy thanked the sailors for their tireless efforts.
The Oil comes from the fuel tanks of the freighter. The ship, which had, as well as containers of over 2000 vehicles on Board, that was good, fell 300 kilometers from the coast, after a fire. The Italian-flagged ship had dangerous goods on Board. After the demise of containers in the sea understatement.
First of all, the Seepräfektur had planned a two-kilometer-long Oil slicks. On Friday, the special forces have discovered, finally, a third pollution in the place where the ship had sunk.
looking at this third carpet, said Stéphane Doll, Director of the water pollution specialised centre Cedre. The beginning of the week, you’ll know more about it – samples taken should be evaluated. The new carpet could be, according to the Prefecture, a reference to the fact that the wreck is still heavy oil free.
risk of coastal pollution
The Prefecture was informed of after the fall, that first estimates confirmed the risk of coastal pollution. Minister for the environment, de Rugy is as vulnerable regions of the Département of Charente-Maritime with the port city of La Rochelle and the Gironde, in the middle of Bordeaux. He did not rule out that the Oil could also reach the Spanish Biscay coast.
The French West coast with long beaches and the wine region of Bordeaux in summer it attracts many tourists and surfers. Especially the area around the estuary of the Gironde is at risk.
On Saturday were circulated photos of a polluted beach near the river mouth in the network. Numerous French media reported that it was in the brown silt in the seaside resort of Hourtin, probably the first foothills of the oil Spills.
On Sunday was not the competent Prefecture, the all-clear: the First findings, it was Oil from the “Grande America”. Studies have shown that it was “organic waste”. The Monitoring is continuing.
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shipwreck off the coast of France experts will continue to fight against oil Spill
In France, memories of past shipping disasters were awake. The sinking of the “Erika” had triggered in December 1999 in the English channel, a huge oil Spill. For a long time previously, the Tanker “Amoco Cadiz was run” in March 1978, in Brittany. Experts said, the tank disasters are not with the demise of the “Grande America” comparable, since back then a lot more Oil is leaked. (dpa)