Tanker leaks fuel oil into sea off occupied Gastria village

Under the title “1200litres of petrol leak into the sea”, Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (14.03.13) reports that 1200 litres of petrol leaked into the sea wednesday at occupied Gastria village, as a result of negligence. According to the paper, the ship belongs to Alpet Company and was carrying the cargo to Alpet’s storage installation at occupied Gastria. 

The “district officer” of occupied Trikomo, Bunyamin Merhametsiz said the “officials” of the “department of environment” estimate that the leakage is around 1200 litres and that its dimensions were not as big as to cause pollution to the environment.

Dogan Sahir, chairman of the initiative No to the Fuel Oil Storage Installation, said that the gulf of occupied Gastria is from time to time polluted with small spills, and added that their fears have become true and tons of petrol leaked into the sea last night. He noted that the “authorities” had been informed about the accident 12 hours after it had happened and added that this shows that those who caused the accident do not care and are insensitive. He said that delaying to act in such incidents causes great damages and especially when the oil reaches the shore. He argued that the accident proved that they are right when they oppose to the construction of an oil storage installation in the occupied area of Cyprus.