The works to remove the diesel oil from the fuel tanks of ‘Aria SF‘, the sunken yacht near es Cap Martinet, finished on Sunday in which a third overhaul was carried out on the vessel. The batteries were also removed, as reported by the head of Salvamento Marítimo in the Balearic Islands, Miguel Chicón. Also, the barriers deployed around the hull were removed.
Thus, the yacht is considered decontaminated, explained Chicón, although he pointed to the possibility that another “fuel pocket” remains in an inaccessible part of the wreck. If it exists, he detailed, it would be a “very small amount”, although he stressed that it is impossible to know how much diesel oil could remain on the ship, at least while it remains underwater.
As for the amount of fuel extracted from the ship, Chicón indicated that, beyond the 11.000 liters that were removed at the beginning, it is not yet possible to know with certainty as in the last extractions there were remains of diesel oil mixed with water removed from the tank, while in the first extractions, only fuel was extracted.
Yacht owner gives go ahead to refloat
The owner has already given the go-ahead for the refloating project, explained Chicón. In the next few days, the shipowner will present the plan to Capitanía Marítima. Chicón foresees that the refloating of the wreckage of the ‘Aria SF’ could begin within two to four weeks if all goes well.
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