Cork County Council have issued a statement regarding an oil pollution risk in the area.
Storm Dennis didn’t only bring bad weather to the Irish shores over the weekend; it also washed up a derelict cargo ship that had been drifting around the Atlantic for over a year.
The vessel, known as the Alta, had been abandoned in 2018, when the crew on board were saved by the US Coast Guard after they were stranded on board for over 20 days in the height of that year’s hurricane season.
The exact path the ship took after that is unknown, but Storm Dennis ended its journey when it crashed into the rocks off the coast of Cork this weekend.
Rescue 117 was tasked earlier today to a vessel aground near Ballycotton, Cork. There was nobody on board. Previously the @USCG had rescued the 10 crew members from the vessel back in September 2018. The vessel has been drifting since and today came ashore on the Cork coastline. pic.twitter.com/NbvlZ89KSY
— Irish Coast Guard (@IrishCoastGuard) February 16, 2020
Cork County Council have since issued a statement on the ship:
“[Due to the potential] for land based oil pollution risk, we are continuing to monitor this ship in relation to any possible oil spillage or risk arising from cargo. The Council understands that the vessel was most likely diesel fuelled which poses less risk of pollution than heavy fuel oil. The exact risk level cannot be confirmed at this time. The ship will be inspected tomorrow in day light and from a land vantage point in order to access this further.
“From a public safety perspective, Cork County Council is asking members of the public to stay away from the wreck location as it is located on a dangerous and inaccessible stretch of coastline and is in an unstable condition. Further details will issue as soon as the information becomes available.”
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