Madrid under pressure over Prestige
SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA 30 November – The Spanish government is under renewed pressure to launch an inspection of the wreck of the tanker Prestige, which has been leaking up to 50 litres of fuel oil a day since July. Following tests on samples of fuel oil, Madrid confirmed on 20 November that the new leaks were from the tanker’s stern end, which continues to hold 700-1,000 tonnes of fuel oil. However the Galician newspaper La Voz de Galicia claimed today that the government has been aware of the leaks since July when Spain’s Oceanographic Institute started testing fuel oil samples. The government says it will increase vigilance of the affected area but has ruled out an inspection of the stern end of the tanker as it claims the leaks will have minimal impact on the marine environment. During 2004, Spanish energy company Repsol YPF extracted 14,000 tonnes of fuel oil from the tanker – about 95% of fuel left in the ship following the sinking of the tanker in November 2002. The remaining fuel oil was allegedly not extracted because of technical difficulties in reaching the areas of the stern of the ship.
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on jueves, noviembre 30, 2006 at 5:10 p. m..
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