Diesel to be unloaded from capsized Singaporean ship

Karwar, June 4 (UNI) Unloading of diesel from the oil tanks in the cargo ship 'Ocean Sarai', which hit an oyster rock after being hit by a gale following the onset of monsoon on Tuesday last, will begin from tomorrow.

Informing this at a press conference here today, Deputy Commissioner Ritesh Kumar Singh said an expert from DRDO had observed the situation today. Dr.Prabhakar Kalleri, Director of the Coast Guard, would arrive at Devabhag tomorrow to decide on the future course of action.

The 238-m-long ship, which was headed towards this port town to carry back iron ore, had broken into two after it ran aground and one of its five diesel tanks had given way, causing an oil slick.

However, the remaining oil tanks were intact.

Mr Singh said the Coast Guard department had supplied three barges of 160 tonne capacity each for the task.

Allaying fears that about 25 to 30 per cent of the oil of the wrecked ship had mixed with sand and soil on the shore, he clarified that the Naval Material Research Laboratory, which tested the water, soil and sand, confirmed that there was only one per cent oil mixing in the shore. Dirt was more than the oil patch in the beach, he added.

He announced that the ban imposed on fishing and other activities in the sea had been lifted following the laboratory report.

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