June 24, 2000

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (PANA) - Cape Town is facing its worst environmental disaster ever after oil from an enormous bulk ore carrier which sank within site of the city on Friday began threatening beaches and wildlife.

The Greek-owned Treasure, carrying 150,000 tons of iron ore and 1,300 tons of fuel oil, sank at 0200 GMT after suffering from metal fatigue. The ship broke in half and it is lying at a depth of 50 metres just five nautical miles off Duinefontein beach near Koeberg nuclear power station.

The crew was rescued and is staying in Cape Town.

The ship was enroute from Brazil to China when a massive 200 square metre hole opened up in its hull of the Namibian coast. It made a dash for Cape Town, but harbour authorities refused to allow to dock until its oil had been transferred to another ship.

It was being towed into international waters by the salvage tug John Ross when the cable snapped and it sank shortly afterwards.

Earlier fears that Koeberg which uses seawater to cool its turbines could be forced to shut down have been allayed.

However, hopes that the oil would remain sealed in the ship's bunkers are fading fast and an enormous oil slick of more than a million litres is now visible in the Atlantic Ocean.

The Environmental Affairs Department's patrol vessels are still attempting to break up the oil.

A large number of endangered African Penguins from one of the biggest colonies in the world are coated in oil. Hundreds of volunteers are expected to assist with an operation to rescue the birds, which live on Robben Island. Booms have been put in place in a last-minute bid to protect them.

When the Apollo Sea sank off Cape Town in 1994, about 10,000 oiled African penguins were cleaned in the biggest operation of its kind in the world.

Divers who are using diving chambers to inspect the vessel say there is a giant hole in the hull. They may attempt to pump the remaining oil to sealed holds before more escapes but heavy seas could cause the ship's tanks break open, they said.

Several of the ship's 20-ton hatches are afloat in the sea among the other flotsam and two have already washed ashore.

Captain William Dernier, operations manager for the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), said a general navigation warning has been issued to shipping as the top of the Treasure's mast is just visible above the surface of the water.

http://www.africanews.org/PANA/news/20000624/feat9.html

-- Doris (reaper1@minspring.com), June 24, 2000