Fuel Tanker Sinks off Piraeus
Product tanker Agia Zoni II reported water ingress, sinking, in the early hours of Sunday in Saronikos Gulf, south of Athens at anchorage west of Piraeus, with some 2500 tons of fuel on board, and two crew.
The local media reports that Aghia Zoni II took on water while it was anchored and sank at 2.45 a.m., after sailing from the Aspropyrgos distilleries in the early hours of Saturday carrying 2,200 metric tons of fuel oil and 370 metric tons of marine gas oil.
It is not yet known what caused the sinking.
According to eKathimerini, its crew of two were rescued by a nearby ship and taken to shore, where doctors at Piraeus’s Tzaneio Hospital gave them the all-clear.
The Piraeus Port Authority is conducting an investigation into the causes of the sinking and has implemented a monitoring system to contain any leakages.
As reports “RIA Novosti”, local authorities are trying to stop the sea pollution with oil products. The captain and chief engineer were taken to the Central port of Piraeus, where he was arrested, but subsequently, by order of the Prosecutor they were released. There is an investigation of causes and circumstances of the incident.
