Fisheries department says any remnants of oil slick are ‘decomposing and dissolving’ (Update 2)

The fisheries department on Wednesday said that any remnants of the Syrian oil slick that remained off Cyprus were gradually decomposing and dissolving.

“At the same time, an investigation is being carried out for confirmation using marine and airborne means as well as using any information we receive regarding petroleum residues,” the department said.

“Based on the field research so far that has covered an area of 900 square nautical miles, there is no presence of oil spill residues in the sea area northeast of Cape Greco,” it added.

Earlier reports said that parts of the oil slick leaked from a Syrian power station was making its way towards Cyprus but ultimately drifted away from the island were spotted in the sea 55km northeast of Cape Greco.

Authorities were alerted by a fishing boat in the area on Wednesday.

Agriculture Minister Costas Kadis said a police helicopter was monitoring the area to assess the situation, and a vessel had been sent.

The fisheries department was put on alert, while the special anti-pollution boat Alexandria was on standby off the Famagusta area “to be used if and when deemed appropriate”.

“It seems that small parts have detached,” said Kadis. “That was the image we got from satellite images we received from the European Maritime Safety Agency. We want to make sure of the extent,” he said, adding a police helicopter and a fisheries department vessel were in the area.

“So far nothing alarming has been identified and that is why the search area under investigation is expanding. The goal is to cover the wider sea area northeast of Cape Greco,” the minister added.

“If something is found we need to study the extent and nature of the pollution in order to manage it properly. I want to reassure the people that we are ready to activate the mechanisms we have to deal with any incident.”

He said the presence of the Alexandria in Cyprus was secured after a request by the shipping ministry to the European Maritime Safety Agency, “with which we are in constant contact since the day the oil spill was created”.

Kadis said the main oil slick was headed towards the shores of Turkey and Syria.

EMSA has suggested all countries in the region activate the framework against oil pollution in the Mediterranean, which is a part of the Barcelona Convention.

In the north of the island also, crews on Wednesday continued cleaning part of the slick that broke off from the main mass in the Karpasia area.

‘Public works minister’ Resmiye Canaltay said the oil had changed consistency, had become thicker, and was settling down on the seabed in chunks which will have massive environmental implications. She said it was imperative to act swiftly. She also said she would be meeting with environmental experts on Thursday to assess the situation.

The spill off the Syrian coast was captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellites on 24 and 25 August.