SA to probe China's grounding
20/10/2004 08:46  - (SA)  

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Weather dashes oil recovery Concern over ship's cargo Bad weather prevents salvage

Enrico Claassen and Sapa , Die Burger

Port Elizabeth - The official investigation into the running aground of the freighter, BBC China, which was shipwrecked at Port Grosvenor on the Wild Coast on Sunday, is due to start on Wednesday.

According to Captain William Dernier, operations manager of the South African Maritime Safety Authority in Cape Town, an investigation team visited the ship on Monday to scrutinise the ship's bills of lading before the investigation could start.

Meanwhile, everything is in place to pump the 120 tons of oil from the ship on Wednesday.

According to Dernier, the oil was to have been transferred from the ship on Tuesday, but high winds prevented this.

He said all equipment needed to pump the oil from the hold of the ship had been put aboard on Tuesday.

According to Dernier, a small amount of oil was still leaking from the ship's stern.

He said it was estimated it would take five days to pump all the oil from the ship's hold.

nine tons of batteries

Dernier strongly denied rumours that BBC China was transporting nuclear material.

"After I had scrutinised the bills of lading regarding the ship's freight, I could not find any nuclear material on board.

"However, if there was any nuclear material on board, it would be illegal," said Dernier.

He again confirmed the only dangerous material on board was nine tons of batteries and paint products.

Carol Moses of the national department of the environment and tourism said this material did not present an immediate danger to the environment as it was well-packed.

Moses said the department would not institute an independent investigation into the accident.

She said the department had already received a copy of the freight manifest of the BBC China indicating that no nuclear material was on board.

The ship, which was on its way from Durban to Spain, ran aground on a sandbank about 21:00 on Sunday, 150m from the beach at Port Grosvenor, about 150 nautical miles from Durban.

Sixteen crew were rescued from the stranded ship under dramatic conditions by a helicopter from Durban port control.

- Die Burger

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