The removal of the fuel oil from the tanks of the Dutch general cargo ship Flinterstar which sank off Belgium’s Zeebrugge last week after colliding with the LNG tanker Al-Oraiq was stopped Tuesday morning because of ”stronger winds and worsening sea state,” according to Flinter, the vessel’s owner.
Flinter said that the oil removal was stopped as it simply became too dangerous for the divers and salvage teams to continue their work. The divers were called in to drill holes in the vessel’s intact fuel tanks.
As Flinterstar is pinned on the sandbank, the increased wave height is endangering divers and any floating salvage vessel near the wreck, Flinter said.
The company expects to get a permission to restart oil removal efforts today, as the weather forecast suggests improved conditions and weaker winds.