Indian Coast Guard monitoring oil spill from grounded merchant ship

Indian Coast Guard continues to monitor the situation around the grounded merchant ship M V Princess Miral of New Mangalore for any probable leakage of oil from the ship. The state administration along with other stakeholders is also being coordinated for shoreline cleanup in case of any oil spill.

Constant surveillance is being undertaken by Coast Guard aircraft and ships in areas around the vessel and onshore for pollution response since June 21, said Coast Guard Commander DIG S B Venkatesh .

A fully equipped Pollution Control Vessel, ICGS Samudra Pavak from Porbandar arrived on Saturday morning and joined the Pollution Response operation at sea along with ICG ships and aircraft.

Nine ships of Coast Guard and resource agencies, and three Coast Guard aircraft are on task for assessment and monitoring of the sea area of New Mangalore. These assets are continuing the necessary preventive measures.

He said the Netravati river is in close proximity to the vessel which is grounded close to shore therefore as a precautionary measure the river mouth has been barricaded from the seawards side using inflatable booms so as to prevent containment of the river in case of any leakage of oil from the ship, said the Commander.

Coast Guard Pollution Response team and experts are continuously analysing the situation and also assisting the state administration and New Mangalore Port Authority by conducting pollution response and shoreline cleanup training sessions and mock drills.