On the West coast of France has set himself to the fact that in these days of the first Oil in the wrecked “Grande America” reaches the beaches. But the weather, according to experts, at least temporarily for a postponement.
After the sinking of a container ship in the Bay of Biscay have experts for the looming oil Spill, at least for the next few days the all clear is given. Due to the current environmental conditions of the coast of France was not affected in the next week, informed the competent Seepräfektur. However, the risk of a long-term coastal pollution.
Despite the continued bad weather and rough seas forces to fight against the feared oil Spill. You try that in the sea of drifting oil Spills continue to reduce, so the Prefecture.
For Tuesday is expected to be better weather then you could also do a more effective fight against the pollution, authorities said. 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.
Also, the dangerous goods on Board
The Oil comes from the fuel tanks of the on Tuesday, the sunken freighter “Grande America”. Specialists took samples which confirmed this.
The “Grande America”, which had, as well as containers of more than 2000 vehicles on Board, was sunk after a fire, a good 300 kilometers from the coast. The Italian-flagged ship had dangerous goods on Board. After the decline of Container driven in the sea.
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. The new carpet could be, according to the Prefecture, a reference to the fact that the wreck is still heavy oil flows.
reports on the already polluted estuary
The Prefecture was informed of after the fall, that first estimates confirmed the risk of coastal pollution. Minister for the environment, de Rugy called as the vulnerable regions of the Département of Charente-Maritime with the port city of La Rochelle and the Gironde, in the center of Bordeaux is located. 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, pictures of a polluted beach near the mouth of the river had caused some unrest. Numerous French media reported that it was the brown silt in the seaside resort of Hourtin, probably the first foothills of the oil Spills. Today, then, the competent Prefecture gave the all-clear: the First evidence that it was not a question of Oil from the “Grande America”. Studies have shown that it was “organic waste”. The Monitoring is continuing.
In France, memories of past Maritime disasters 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.
oil Spills from havariertem container ship threaten French Atlantic coast
tagesschau at 20:00, 14.03.2019, Matthias Kaiserswerth, ARD Paris
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