EMEA News
South Africa: Chemical Tanker Wreck Leaking oil
A chemical tanker that ran aground off the northwest coast of Cape Town last month has started to leak oil following poor weather.
The ship, the Ultra Galaxy, has seen further damage from stormy weather and there is evidence of oil coming from the ship and onto nearby beaches.
An aerial inspection this week "revealed oil in the surrounding waters, accompanied by a strong odour, indicating leaks", according to the South African Maritime Safety Authority.
Leaked oil "is drifting within the predicted drift patterns and is washing up onto the immediate beaches, as predicted [but] it is too early to determine how much of the remaining oil has spilled from the wreck", the SAMSA update added.
Ultra Galaxy ran aground on July 9 with a full cargon of bagged fertilizer. The leaked is oil is likely to be low sulphur fuel oil from its bunker tanks.
