Video: Fears of Oil Spill as Dredger Grounds in Canary Islands

video dredger grounds — Dredger clearing wrecks became one herself

[Brief] The Port Authority of La Palmas in the Canary Islands is scrambling with the assistance of Salvamento Marítimo to respond to a small dredger that grounded on the coast of La Isleta, on Tuesday. Salvage operations have been complicated by high tides and strong waves which damaged the hull of the vessel.

The 85-feet long Mimar Cinco was working along the coast on August 16 when it became stranded with a crew of five aboard. Radioing for assistance, Salvamento Marítimo dispatched a rescue boat that was able to successfully remove the five individuals from the vessel. Media reports indicate that the dredger had been operating on the La Isleta coast since Monday. It had been contracted by the Navy to remove two old shipwrecks in a military area on the coast.

A rescue tug was sent to try to refloat the dredger but was unsuccessful sparking the fears of the oil spill near the La Isleta coast. Salvamento Marítimo orders its rescue vessel to return to the site of the accident and as a precaution, the Government of the Canary Islands activated its oil spill prevention protocol in case of possible contamination.

Hilo sobre el barco encallado en La Isleta
Se trata de una draga, la Mimar Cinco, que en el momento del incidente tenía 5 tripulantes a bordo. Felizmente rescatados.
El barco, de una empresa gallega, tiene un contrato de la Armada para desguazar los barcos hundidos (pecios) ???????? pic.twitter.com/YPf2KOgRre
— Mi playa de Las Canteras ? (@LasCanteras) August 17, 2022

“The objective was to avoid environmental damage and it has been achieved,” said the president of the Port Authority of La Palmas, Luis Ibarra “There is no spillage so far and I thank the Harbor Master for the work well done as well as helping to de-escalate the incident.”

According to Ibarra., more than 6,000 liters of diesel had been removed from the Mimar Cinco, by Wednesday morning. In an odd twist of fate, the vessel that had been hired to clear shipwrecks may well have become one herself.