Fifteen ships under suspicion for oil spill in Estonia

Ornithological Society: 35,000 birds have perished

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An investigation committee headed by the Estonian Central Criminal Police now suspects 15 vessels of the oil spill off the Estonia coast that resulted in death of thousands and aquatic birds, the Northern District Prosecutor's Office reported on Tuesday.
      The Liberian oil tanker Flawless, mentioned earlier by the Estonian Prime Minister, had notified authorities of problems already when approaching the Muuga seaport. The vessel had sustained a seven centimetre crack in its hull.
      The Estonian Maritime Administration inspected the ship after the announcement, and investigators have now cleared it from oil spill suspicions.
     
According to the investigation committee, the oil found in the sea is from a ship's fuel tanks, not oil carried by oil tankers as cargo.
      The oil landed on the Estonian shore possibly in the late evening of Friday January 31st, even though the first observations were not reported until the following afternoon.
      The Estonian Minister of the Environment Villu Reiljan and the Minister of the Interior Kalle Laanet recently agreed on measures to improve the country's oil spill preparedness.
      Estonian Border Guard Detachment airplanes will increase the number of their weekly surveillance flights over the Gulf of Finland from one to three.
      According to the ministers, Estonia needs another EUR 4 million to improve the oil spill measures.
     
Cleaning up the Estonian coast of oil has been terminated for the time being. According to the Estonian Ornithological Society, the number of dead seabirds may reach 35,000.
      The birds have mainly been saved by volunteers.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Pressure grows for establishing oil fund in Estonia (3.2.2006)
  Finland soon to be able to fine ships for oil spills on high sea (2.2.2006)

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