Coast Guard monitoring marine pollution, if any, from sunken vessel

A Coast Guard vessel in action off Mangaluru coast on Thursday to check for the spread of oil leak, if any, from the sunken merchant vessel Princess Miral. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

The Coast Guard is using six vessels and two aircraft in its effort to check marine pollution in case of an oil spill from the sunken foreign vessel, mv Princess Miral.

In a press release here, Karnataka Coast Guard Commander and Deputy Inspector-General S.B. Venkatesh said that six vessels and two Dornier aircraft are being used for monitoring, mapping and combating oil spill in the area.

In addition, two vessels from local resource agencies are being used, he said.

The damaged and sunken merchant vessel, Mr. Venkatesh said, is said to be carrying more than 220 tonnes of fuel onboard.

The Coast Guard is coordinating with the State administration, Pollution Control Board, New Mangalore Port Authority, Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd. to prevent any threat of large scale oil spill from the sunken vessel.

“So far, only a minor sheen of oil, assessed to be from engine bilges and dirty water tanks, has been observed,” he said.

To achieve sustained operations, he said, a specialised pollution control vessel, ICGS Samudra Pavak, has sailed from Porbandar. It will arrive in Mangaluru in the morning on Saturday. “The entire area is being continuously monitored for any marine pollution eventuality,” he said.