French authorities are examining a third oil slick
where the Grande America, an Italian cargo vessel travelling from
Germany to Morocco, sank in the Atlantic west of France earlier this
week.
Stephane Doll, the head of anti-marine pollution agency Cedre, said
on Saturday that the oil slick is located where the ship sank. Its
discovery on Friday suggests that oil continues to leak from the
sunken vessel.
Following the sinking of the Grande America in the Bay of Biscay on
Tuesday, two oil slicks with a combined surface area larger than that
of New York City's Manhattan borough have been drifting eastward
towards the French coast.
The oil originated from the Grande America's fuel tanks.
Loaded with 365 containers and 2,000 vehicles, the cargo vessel was
travelling from Hamburg to Casablanca when a violent blaze broke out
on board on Sunday. Its 26 sailors and sole passenger were forced to
abandon ship and were rescued by a British naval vessel.
Cargo vessel Grande America was travelling from Hamburg to Casablanca when a violent blaze broke out on board on Sunday.
