Update on oil spill

This update is from the Department of Transport (lead department for the Coastguard).


17 Feb 09 : 19.02


This Press Release follows an update earlier this afternoon, from the Department of Transport regarding an oil pollution incident off Fastnet Rock.



* Further overflights of the pollution site took place today .

* The latest estimate this evening, is of 522 tonnes of fuel oil spreading out in a three distinct slicks that are now 39 miles south of the Old Head of Kinsale.

* The slick is breaking up, thinning and is naturally reducing and spreading over a larger area and moving eastwards paralleling the coast 30 - 40 miles off.

* LE Aisling and HMS Gloucester have taken samples of the oil from the scene, which were collected by the Coast Guard Helicopter and brought to Waterford for onward dispatch for testing by a specialist laboratory in Scotland.

* The Coast Guard contracted an Irish Shannon-based tug MV Celtic Isle this afternoon to proceed to the spill at 19:30 this evening and evaluate the efficacy of mechanical recovery at sea.

* The Coast Guard have also put EMSA's oil recovery vessel MT Galway Fisher on standby and recovery equipment will be loaded onboard in Cork. This vessel will be deployed dependant on the outcome of the trials by the tug, Celtic Isle, tomorrow.

* The Coast Guard has convened an inter-Governmental Group to monitor and advise on the current situation and potential impact to the coastline and marine environment.

* Physical recovery of pollution ashore is based on mechanical and manual recovery. This involves the use of specialist equipment, such as skimmers and bulldozers to clear heavy pollutant. Local authority personnel carry this out under the coordination of the Coast Guard.

* All local authorities should have oil pollution response plans.

* At this point it is too early to accurately predict what volumes may come ashore and therefore what environmental, commercial and visual impact is involved.

ENDS




17 Feb 09 : 13.32

Coastguard Press Release

Oil Spill fifty miles south of Fastnet

17 February 2009

The Coast Guard Marine Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Dublin on Saturday 14 th of Feb received a satellite surveillance pollution report from the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) in Lisbon which is a specialist Agency of the EU. MRCC Dublin tasked an Air Corps Casa aircraft to investigate the report. Aerial surveillance from the Casa and the Coast Guard helicopter based in Waterford confirmed an oil spill covering approximately 4.5km x 5 km surrounding a Russian aircraft carrier and a refuelling tanker.

The Russian Naval Attaché confirmed on Monday 16 th that the carrier had been carrying out a fuel transfer at sea operation (called bunkering) from a Russian supply tanker at sea. The Attaché confirmed an internal investigation is being carried out into the cause of the incident and said that Russian aerial surveillance considered that approximately 300 tonnes of oil was on the sea surface but could not tell the Coast Guard how this happened or whether it was from their refuelling operations.

The aerial surveillance flights carried out by the UK Coastguard have indicated that in their opinion, using various specialist sensors onboard their aircraft indicate that the spill is up to 1000 tonnes of fuel oil. Estimates of oil quantity in water are highly difficult to estimate, as slick thickness can be variable over the length of the slick and therefore difficult to accurately gauge. Today’s over flight by the specialist UK aircraft is expected to further refine this estimate.

Vessels on scene at the moment include two refuelling tankers, one aircraft carrier, one Russian ocean-going tug, one Russian destroyer, one British destroyer and Irish Naval vessel L.E. Aisling. It is believed the Russian Task Group may leave the area tomorrow having completed refuelling operations.

The Irish Coast Guard in conjunction with the U.K. Coastguard is carrying out aerial pollution surveillance flight over the area today. Samples of the oil have been taken from the scene and will be analysed.

The Russian Embassy has been requested to supply samples of the oils carried onboard the Russian tankers and the aircraft carrier and for oil characteristic data sheets. The Coast Guard continue to monitor the slick with its own Helicopters and Air Corps Casa. The Irish Coast Guard tasked the Naval Vessel Aisling, which is on scene.

The Coast Guard has contracted an Irish Cork-based tug to proceed to the spill and evaluate the efficacy of mechanical at sea recovery. Coast Guard pollution equipment is being transferred to Cork today for loading onboard and will commence recovery operations tomorrow.

Outlook

The slick is breaking up and is spreading over a larger area and moving eastwards paralleling the coast 30 - 40 miles off. The oil spill is forecast to continue to disperse and to break up. Weather forecast for the area show continuing light winds over the coming days. Coast Guard computer modelling of the spill show that some of the oil is expected to evaporate or dissolve into the water column.

The majority of the oil is expected to remain on the surface. The residual oil remaining is expected to develop into tar balls. Depending on weather conditions these may end up on the Irish South east coast in approximately 16 days time and also impact on the Welsh coastline. At this point it is too early to predict accurate volumes.

The Coast Guard is briefing various Government Departments and Agencies today to outline the current situation and potential impact to the coastline and marine environment.

Oil coming ashore on the South east coast will be recovered mechanically by local authorities with assistance from the Coast Guard who will oversee the operation.