Archived press release

Critical Submission to Sea Empress Inquiry

15 April 1996

Detailed criticisms of the Sea Empress oil disaster in West Wales have been made by Friends of the Earth in a submission to the Marine Accident Investigation Branch inquiry.

Among the factors identified as possible causes of the tanker running aground are the positioning of the buoys at the entrance to Milford Haven,an inadequate assessment of the tides at the time of entry, and the lack of a plan for entry of the ship into the port. The fact that the radar at St Anne's Head was out of action is also considered to have been a contributory factor in that it must have added to the uncertainty about the progress of the tanker.

Once the tanker had struck the rocks, FOE believes that the salvage operation was hampered by an apparent confusion in the command structure and as to who was in overall charge. This could explain why permission to take the tanker to a safer location out to sea was refused even though tides would have permitted this on four occasions subsequent to the initial grounding.

Particular criticism is made of the fact that little effort appears to have been made to minimise the leakage of oil from the Sea Empress and to ameliorate the effects of pollution. Offers of assistance from oil recovery vessels, such as the Crystal Sea, were refused and the services of the Norwegian "lightering" tanker, Sareta, was not sought.

Similarly, containment and deflection booms were insufficiently used and failed to prevent the oiling of important conservation areas such as the Sites of Special Scientific Interest at West Angle Bay, Angle Bay, Dale Point and the Gann Estuary.

The use of chemical dispersants is challenged because of their toxicity and their ability to solubilised some toxic hydrocarbons, and because the Milford Haven Standing Conference on Anti-Pollution plan states that dispersants should only be used where oil recovery cannot be effectively carried out.

The report reiterates Friends of the Earth's demand for an independent Public Inquiry and for the implementation of the recommendations of the Donaldson report. It also calls for a reassessment of the circumstances,such as tidal conditions and the provision of tug escorts and pilots, under which tankers enter Milford Haven, and for special measures to protect and clean-up the local environment.

FOE has also submitted to the Marine Accident Investigation Branch an assessment of the possible human health effects of the oil spill and a preliminary assessment of the environmental impact. A more detailed report on the environmental effect will be produced by FOE in the near future. ENDS

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust