Eveline de Klerk
Swakopmund-An emergency response team from the Directorate of Maritime Affairs was last night racing against time to contain yet another oil spill, this time close to Mile 108, near the Ugab River mouth.
This was after a Japanese vessel, Fukuseki Maru, with about 150 metric tons of marine diesel, ran aground early yesterday morning between Henties Bay and Terrace Bay.
The incident was confirmed yesterday afternoon by the public relations officer of the Ministry of Works and Transport, Julius Ngwedha, who told New Era they had already dispatched a team to the vessel to contain the oil spill.
He however said that currently the leakage from the vessel is weak, hence the ministry wants to contain it as soon as possible.
According to him, the crew of the vessel were rescued already and were safe. He added that the vessel was on its way from Angola to Walvis Bay when it ran aground.
“Our main concern at this stage is to contain the oil spill, hence our team are hands-on with it,” he said.