Yesterday, oil was pumped out of Cypriot vessel Wilson Muuga, which is stranded off the coast of Iceland, into side tanks. The oil will be brought ashore as soon as possible.
A helicopter from the Icelandic Coast Guard brought seven men aboard the ship at noon yesterday – three machinists, one police officer, two members of the rescue service and one specialist – to estimate the situation and find out how best to proceed. Morgunbladid reports.
At first it was feared that the tanks storing 70 tons of fuel oil were damaged, and that oil would leak into the ocean. But the tanks proved to be intact.
Pumping equipment was brought onto the ship and the first phase of the pumping began. Project leader Gottskálk Fridgeirsson is satisfied with the results and is optimistic about finishing the project.
Fréttabladid reported that the helicopter, which brought the men aboard the stranded vessel, proved its worth yesterday. The helicopter is new and has never been used in such windy conditions before. At one point wind gusts reached a speed of 40 meters per second.
To read more about the stranding, click here.
