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Sea empress prosecution welcomed by foe
13 May 1997
Friends of the Earth today (13/5/97) welcomed the decision by the Environment Agency to proceed "in principle" with a criminal prosecution following the grounding and failed salvage operation of the Sea Empress oil tanker [1] which occurred at Milford Haven, South West Wales, in February 1996.
In line with a commitment given to Friends of the Earth last month, following a threat from the pressure group to take legal action itself, the Environment Agency has decided at their May Board meeting that a case exists. The list of defendants will be finalised by the Environment Agency by the end of June.
Tony Juniper, Campaigns Director of Friends of the Earth, said:
"We very much welcome the Agency's decision to take action over the Sea Empress disaster and we await their list of defendants with great interest. In the meantime our position remains unchanged. If the Agency fail to bring criminal charges against any party that might properly bear responsibility, then we stand ready to do the job."
NOTES TO EDITORS:
[1] The Sea Empress grounded on 15th February 1996 with the subsequent spillage of 72,000 tonnes of crude oil into the sea damaging 38 Sites of Special Scientific Interest and killing thousands of seabirds.
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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Dec 2008
