Filenews 31 August 2021
On the eastern coast of Cyprus, and specifically at the Akrotiri Apostolou Andreas, it is estimated that the oil spill that was created after a leak in Syria arrived at dawn.
Speaking on state radio, the Minister of Agriculture Costas Kadis said that it is being monitored since Thursday evening and according to calculations it would arrive in the morning hours at Akrotiri Apostolou Andreas, however we do not have an official update due to the situation with the occupied territories.
Meanwhile, the anti-pollution vessel Alexandria arrives in Cyprus, following moves by the Deputy Ministry of Shipping, through European mechanisms, in order to provide assistance both to the occupied and the free areas. As the Minister said, both Israel and Greece were informed to be ready to provide assistance if needed, which was agreed at the last Trilateral Meeting in Jerusalem.
The oil spill was created by a fuel leak from a refinery at a power station in the Bariyas region of Syria. Syria's electricity minister told a local newspaper that two to four tonnes of fuel have been spilled at sea according to estimates. Associated Press cites a statement by an official of the Syrian electricity agency, according to which in the oil tank, where the leak occurred, there were fifteen thousand tons of fuel.
See the course of the oil spill:
The Center of Excellence "ERATOSTHENES" through the Excelsior project shows the course of the oil spill.
Two sea vessels sent by Turkey from Adana off karpasia
Two sea vessels departed from Adana with qualified personnel and the necessary equipment to deal with oil pollution off the coast of Karpasia, Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay said, adding that a delegation with the Director General of Environmental Management will travel to the occupied territories this morning.
In a statement to the Anatolian news agency, the Turkish Vice President said that the competent Ministries of Turkey had discussed among themselves about the leak and that the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure will take the necessary measures at sea and the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization the necessary measures on the Karpas coast.
Fuat Oktay said that Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan is closely following developments and that they are in contact with Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, as well as with the "authorities" of the pseudo-state, and that the "Turkish embassy" in the occupied territories is constantly monitoring developments.
Fuat Oktay also said that coast guard vessels by sea and air will report on the current state of pollution. He added that as Turkey they will stand by the Turkish Cypriots in this matter.
"We are taking the necessary measures by mobilising all the means at our disposal before an environmental disaster occurs. In this context, two sea vessels have already departed from Ceyhan to Adana with qualified personnel and the necessary equipment. A delegation with the Director General of Environmental Management will travel to the TDVK this morning. The First Coordination Centre for Search and Rescue of the Ministry of Transport is closely following developments. They coordinate the ships they can send to the area. The aim is to control pollution in the open sea without hitting the coast. In this context, all relevant organisations are mobilising and monitoring the issue sensitively," he said.
