EMEA News
Oil Leaks from Wreck in South Africa
Oil has leaked from a bulk carrier that sank off the South African coast in 2009 after the navy used controlled blasts to weaken the ship, the news site iAfrica.com reports.
"When it blasted one of the tanks underwater it ruptured, and it then released oil that was onboard the wreck," said Cape Town disaster risk management centre spokesperson Wilfred Solomons-Johannes.
"There is no immediate threat to the shoreline and the marine life at this stage."
The vessel, MV Seli 1 of Turkey, ran aground off Bloubergstrand in September 2009.
Solomons-Johannes said people were not allowed within 1,000 meters of the wreck area, disaster rescue teams were looking into any possible threat to the Koeberg nuclear power station and nearby islands, and the Southern Africa Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (Sanccob) was prepared to address any damage done to birds.
Oil had also spilled from the wreck in September after it broke into three pieces.
Cape Town authorities said in March that collapsing the wreck and removing pollutants in a controlled fashion would probably remove all impacts from the vessel, which had contaminated the shoreline, caused erosion along Table Bay, and created a risk for kite surfers and other beach users.
The ship, which was abandoned by its owner and insurer after the wreck, caught fire in 2010 while salvors were working on it, Independent News of South Africa reported at the time.
The ship had been carrying 30,000 tonnes of coal, and had about 600 tonnes of heavy fuel oil (HFO) and 60 tonnes of diesel onboad when it ran around.
