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Spanish-built ship knocks the Rock - and breaks up in two
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The Spanish-built ship Fedra knocked the Rock - and broke in two. Now, about half of its 300 tons of fuel has spilled into the sea. The next step will be to remove the remaining fuel from the ship. It is expected that there will be no significant or material pollution.
The mv Fedra ran aground at Europa Point at around 7pm on Friday in severe force 12 gale conditions. Earlier in the day it had reported engine failure, but in the prevailing severe weather conditions tugs were unable to prevent her grounding.
Ironically, another cargo vessel, the Tawe, grounded in the Algeciras area. As a result, Gibraltar could not be singled out for the usual protests from Spanish ecologists.
The Fedra is a 35,000 ton Greek owned, Liberian registered bulk carrier built in 1984 by AESA (Astilleros Espa?oles S.A.). The vessel was unladen at the time of the casualty. It carried a crew of 31 comprising Rumanian officers and Filipino seamen.
They were stranded in the vessel as it pounded against the cliff face at Europa Point and began to break up. Conditions were described as 'frightening' by an eyewitness. A Spanish helicopter from Salvamento Maritimo managed to airlift five of the crew in difficult conditions.
But it could handle no more and ended up landing on Europa Point.
Later, a giant crane with a cradle attached took over the rescue operation, and with the help of Gibraltar emergency services, worked against the clock to lift off the remaining crew members. This delicate and dangerous operation took 12 hours. It was dawn on Saturday by the time the life-saving operation was over. All crew members were safely removed from the vessel, without suffering serious injuries. They were attended to at the hospital, and later put up ; in a local hotel. ;
The ship has broken into two pieces around three quarter length from the bow. Once the risk of fuel contamination has been eliminated, the programme of work for the removal of the two halves of the ship will be considered by the Gibraltar Government.
The Gibraltar Government says it commends "the excellent and professional actions of Gibraltar's emergency services, that undoubtedly saved the lives of these 31 crew members."
The Government also expresses its gratitude to the Spanish Government for its positive response to requests for support and to the Titan Salvage personnel who were on site the nearby wreck of the New Flame, and who also assisted in the rescue of the crew. The Gibraltar Maritime Administration has opened an investigation.
Meanwhile, the Government has placed all its anti-oil pollution resources at the disposal of the Algeciras Port Authority across the bay.
From the moment the Fedra went aground, Spanish media has been reporting that the incident took place in the Bay of Algeciras, as if the whole waters of the bay are legitimately Spanish. Such reports also said that the 31 crew members were rescued by the Spanish Salvamento Maritimo.
Spanish ecology group Agaden has blamed the Spanish and Gibraltarian administrations, while Verdemar says that the political class will not learn and such unfortunate episodes repeat themselves, and have asked for the resignations of port authorities.
Chief Minister Peter Caruana has told Spanish regional radio that there is a tendency in Spain to politicise everything. What ecologists cannot do is blame governments when an accident happens. What matters is how the authorities respond. "It does not mean we are not well prepared," he said.
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