COPENHAGEN: Authorities attempting to limit a possible spill in the delicate Arctic ecosystem reported that a ship carrying 20,000 liters of diesel fuel went aground and sank off the coast of Greenland on Thursday.
According to a statement from Greenlandic police, "a ship hit a reef near Nanortalik last night around 1:45am and started taking on water." Around 7 am, the ship sank.
Authorities estimate that in addition to 1,000 liters of engine oil, the 30-meter (98-foot) ship's tanks had between 15,000 and 20,000 liters (3,963 and 5,283 gallons) of diesel fuel.
The name of the vessel has not been disclosed, nor has the type of ship.
The extent of any contamination cannot currently be determined, according to the authorities, but they are utilizing a pump and have positioned floating booms within a 50-meter radius around the site to contain any spills.
All of the people on board were evacuated, but no details were provided about their numbers or nationalities.
Off the coast of Greenland, a 30-meter-long ship struck a reef and sank; its four crew members were rescued, according to local authorities, who also reported that protective barriers had been lowered into the ocean to try and control any spills.
The GSB Hub published this content on 16 Oct,2024.