European Commission investigating the New Flame sinking and salvage

European Commission investigating the New Flame sinking and salvage
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By h.b. - Apr 22, 2008 - 7:39 AM

Little is left of the New Flame above the water. Photo - EFE

The EU Transport Commissioner called on Britain, Spain and Gibraltar to reach an agreement on maritime safety in the area of the Strait.

The vice-president of the European Transport Commission, Jacque Barrot, has called for the wreck of the half sunken ‘New Flame’ cargo boat be removed from the Gibraltar Bay as soon as possible.
He noted that the operation was underway with the arrival of the specialist ‘Big Foot’ salvage vessel, and would take some three months to complete.

The PP and the Socialists have argued in the European Parliament over the response of the Spanish authorities to the accident, and now Brussels says that the EU will investigate possible irregularities in the case. Barrot said they would investigate the claim from the Junta de Andalucía against their claim of a lack of action from the Gibraltarian authorities. He said the sinking of the vessel had serious consequences for pollution but was short of the catastrophes seen with the Erika or Prestige.

It all came in a debate on the New Flame, which also revealed that the EU transport commission has been working closely with the Spanish authorities on the matter, supplying them with satellite imagery for example.

Barrot lamented the lack of an agreement between Spain and Britain over the waters around Gibraltar, and called on all sides to make a greater effort for collaboration. He said the three-way talks should take up the subject of maritime security.

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