Sunken cargo ship's diesel leakage reduced to drops

Divers were still working yesterday to plug diesel leakage from ship, which sank about 16 kilometres off the Umm Al Qaiwain coast.

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UMM AL QAIWAIN // Divers were still working yesterday to plug diesel leakage from the White Whale, which sank about 16 kilometres off the emirate's coast.

Dr Maryam Al Shenasi, the undersecretary of the Ministry of Environment, said divers and Air Force planes were monitoring the site and sending updates every morning and afternoon. She said a specialist team had been able to clean up the spilt diesel so it reached only about half a kilometre away from the boat.

"Every day we have progress made. We shall be through in few days," she said. Only a few drops of diesel were seeping out the boat, she added.

The ship left Ajman port on July 2. It is owned by Arabian Coast Cargo Services of Ajman and had been leased by Star Petroleum, also registered in Ajman.

ykakande@thenational.ae