Greek tanker cleared of suspicion for oil spill polluting Israeli beaches

The Ministry of Environmental Protection announced Sunday that it had suspected a Greek oil tanker of responsibility for polluting the oil leak on Israel’s Mediterranean coast with tons of black, sticky tar.

Investigators went to Greece and inspected Minerva Helen on Saturday, which is stopped at the port of Piraus.

A ministerial statement said, “Following a thorough, professional and extensive inspection by a Ministry of Environmental Protection inspector and an inspector from [Israel’s] Shipping and port management, the last ship was destroyed as a source of pollution. ”

Get The Daily of Israel’s Daily Edition by Email and don’t miss our top stories for free

The probe was carried out in full cooperation with the Greek authorities and with the involvement of the Greek coast guard, the ministry added, confirming that no communication had taken place with the vessel or the owners at any stage.

An Israeli soldier in a fully protective suit holds a piece of tar from an oil spill in the Mediterranean during a clean-up operation at Sharon Beach Nature Reserve, near Gaash, on Monday, February. 22, 2021. (Photo AP / Ariel Schalit)

The ministry, which initially said they had around ten potentially accountable vessels, said further investigations had turned this into dozens of opportunities. Of these, about ten were considered following studies conducted in collaboration with international organizations.

On Saturday, the ministry announced that a second suspect slick of oil had been identified about 150 kilometers west of Israeli shores, but apparently they were moving away from them.

A storm more than a week ago threw a ton of tar on Israeli beaches, apparently coming out of a boat.

Veterinarians take samples from a 17-meter-long whale landed on Nitzanim beach, near the city of Ashkelon, February 21, 2021. (Flash90)

Reports of the pollution first surfaced when a 17-meter (56-foot) dead whale was found dead on the south coast of Israel, along with other wildlife.

Some experts have called the spill as the worst environmental disaster to hit the country’s beaches in decades.

A major clean-up operation was launched, with thousands of Israelis volunteering to help clean up the coast, along with Israeli Nature and Parks Authority staff and even IDF soldiers.

On Wednesday, as the clearance accelerated, the Ministry of Health ordered a precautionary ban on the sale of fish and other seafood from the Mediterranean.

I am proud to work for The Times of Israel

Let me tell you the truth: Life here in Israel is not always easy. But it is full of beauty and meaning.

I am proud to work at The Times of Israel with colleagues who pour their hearts into their work day inside, day out, to capture the complexity of this amazing place. .

I believe our statement sets an important tone of honesty and decency that is necessary to understand what is happening in Israel. It will take a lot of time, commitment and hard work from our team to get this right.

Your support, through membership in Israel Times Community, enabling us to continue our work. Would you be with our Community today?

Thank you,

Sarah Tuttle Singer, New Media Editor

Join the Israel Times Community Join our community already a member? Sign in to stop viewing this

You are pregnant. We appreciate that!

That’s why we come to work every day – to educate developed readers like you about Israel and the Jewish world.

So now we have a demand. Unlike other news outlets, we did not set up a pay wall. But because the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers whose Times of Israel have become important in supporting our work by coming together Israel Times Community.

For as little as $ 6 per month you can help support quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel FREE, as well as access to prohibited content available only to members of the Times of Israel Community.

Join our community Join our community as a member? Sign in to stop viewing this

Source