Sweden
Baltic Sea ferry ran aground twice
Swedish Coast Guard forces are working to collect oil from the ferry. photo
© —/Coast Guard Sweden/dpa
Emergency services are battling an impending oil spill after the ferry “Marco Polo” ran aground for the second time. A large leak has occurred.
According to authorities, a lot of oil has leaked from a passenger ferry that ran aground off the southern Swedish Baltic Sea coast. The ferry ““Marco Polo” ran aground for the first time on Sunday before moving again and then coming to a complete stop the second time, said Erik Svensson from the Swedish Coast Guard on Monday at a press conference in Hörvik, around 120 kilometers to the northeast from Malmö. There was a leak through which a lot of oil escaped over a very long route. The affected area was around five to five and a half kilometers wide.
The “Marco Polo” was on its way between the southern Swedish cities of Trelleborg and Karlshamn on Sunday with around 70 people on board before it actually wanted to continue its journey towards Klaipeda in Lithuania. She is now stuck at sea near Hörvik instead. The passengers and some of the crew have already been able to leave the ship. According to current information, no one was injured in the incident.
Svensson said they are now trying to catch the oil as early as possible, keep the environment from causing damage as much as possible and at the same time carry out investigations. Among other things, the hull of the ferry should be examined before possible salvage. The oil has already reached land, but a large amount of it is still at sea.
Footage from Swedish media showed, among other things, isolated birds covered in oil. At the press conference, several officials asked people to stay away from the affected area.