- Title: PAKISTAN: GROUNDED GREEK OIL TANKER SPILLS OIL OFF KARACHI COAST.
- Date: 14th August 2003
- Summary: (W5) KARACHI AND OFF THE COAST OF KARACHI, PAKISTAN (AUGUST 14, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. LV/GV/CU/TRACK: GROUNDED GREEK TANKER LEAKING OIL; FILM OF OIL ON WATER (4 SHOTS) 0.37 2. MCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) IFTEKHAR RASHEED, FEDERAL SECRETARY OF COMMUNICATION SAYING "Whatever resources we had, whatever resources the KPT (Karachi Port Trust) had, those were not only applied very effectively but the navy also came in a big way and helped us by giving us all sorts of support and we're indebted to the navy. Simultaneously all the concerned experts available around the world were alerted including international maritime organisations." 1.14 3. GV/LV: PORT AND CONTAMINATED WATER; WIDE OF TANKER; PAN ALONG TANKER (4 SHOTS) 1.58 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 29th August 2003 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: KARACHI AND OFF THE COAST OF KARACHI, PAKISTAN
- Country: Pakistan
- Reuters ID: LVA9AVCVKAW4TUOFJPKJDO6ADVUY
- Story Text: Officials struggle to control an oil spill from a
grounded Greek tanker off Pakistan's port city of Karachi.
An oil spill from a grounded Greek tanker off
Pakistan's port city of Karachi has blackened its sandy
beaches, threatening marine life as officials struggled on
Thursday (August 14) to control the damage.
Dead fish and turtles littered the two main beaches of
Karachi -- most of them covered in a thick coat of oil.
The Tasman Spirit, carrying 67,500 tonnes of crude, was
grounded just outside the channel leading to the Karachi
Port on July 27 and three attempts to tow it away have
failed.
On Wednesday (August 13) a big crack appeared in its
hull in the middle from where spurts of crude could be seen
coming out. Later in the day Karachi Port Trust (KPT)
officials expressed fears that the ship would break into
two within 12 hours.
However, the ship has so far survived the cycles of
both high and low tides.
The strong smell of crude gripped the posh
neighbourhoods near the Karachi beaches and residents
complained of difficulty in breathing and of their eyes
watering.
Federal Secretary of Communication Iftikhar Rasheed
said the spill poses no threat to residents of the seaside
neighbourhoods and hoped that the worse was over.
"Whatever resources we had, whatever resources the KPT
(Karachi Port Trust) had, those were not only applied very
effectively but the navy also came in a big way and helped
us by giving us all sorts of support and we're indebted to
the navy. Simultaneously all the concerned experts
available around the world were alerted including
international maritime organisations," Rasheed explained.
Salvage and pollution control experts from Holland,
England and Greece were assisting Pakistani authorities,
which were using booms to prevent crude from entering the
port waters.
Pakistan, which is poorly equipped to handle the
crisis, is importing pollution control and salvage
equipment from various countries. Some of it has already
arrived, officials said.
Nuclear arch-rival India also offered to help Pakistan
on Thursday to contain the oil spill.
Indian foreign ministry spokesman told reporters in New
Delhi India was prepared to send materials including
pollution response equipment, dispersants and containment
booms if Islamabad responded positively to the offer.
Around 19,000 tonnes of crude from the ship had been
transferred before the operation was halted on Wednesday
because of fears of a split, but an estimated 44,000 tonnes
is still on the tanker.
Greenpeace International has warned that Pakistan would
have to act quickly to respond to the spill to avoid
environmental disaster.
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