Toxic waste ship told to leave
2006-10-16 07:26
Tallinn - A ship which Ivory Coast said discharged toxic waste that killed 10 people in the West African country was given formal permission to leave Estonian waters on Sunday after unloading its toxic waste for processing.
The Panamanian-registered Probo Koala was impounded on September 27 in the Estonian port of Paldiski, after a request by Ivory Coast, where thousands of people suffered from vomiting, stomach pains and other symptoms in late August.
The prosecutor's office spokesperson said: "The environment inspectorate said that the ship has been correctly unloaded and we gave permission for the ship to leave."
Estonia had mounted a criminal investigation, suspecting the tanker failed to declare the actual content of the slops it had sought to unload at the Estonian Port of Paldiski.
Probo Koala 'follows right procedures'
Although the investigation was continuing, the state prosecutor's office said it was no longer necessary to hold the vessel in Estonia.
Trafigura, the Dutch-based oil trading firm which chartered the tanker, said it was carrying routine petroleum "slops" from the inside of oil tanks and had not breached proper procedure in Africa.
The company said: "The Probo Koala followed all correct procedures when it offloaded slops at Abidjan."
Thousands of people in Ivory Coast suffered from vomiting, stomach pains and other symptoms caused by toxic fumes from waste from the ship in late August, according to the government.
The incident stretched the country's health services and forced its cabinet to resign.