Ministry calls for removal of sunken tanker from sea

The Environment Ministry said Thursday it is imperative that the Agia Zoni II tanker which sunk last month in the Saronic Gulf is removed from the sea as soon as possible, as part of the efforts to deal with the environmental impact of the oil spill it created.

The tanker was shipwrecked off the island of Salamina, causing a slick that reached the southern coast of Athens.

The ministry said that all sea areas impacted by the spill will be monitored for at least another year, and that a detailed plan to deal with its repercussions will be approved by the end of the month.

The final text of the plan will be based on a discussion held on Tuesday at the offices of the Advisory Committee on Environmental Impact Assessment (EAPEZ) which decided to focus attention on areas polluted by the slick, especially areas that have been, or are slated to be, included in the Natura 2000 network of European protected areas.

These actions include the prevention and treatment of secondary pollution from submerged oil residues.