GISA contract has already been allocated to Bridge Maritime Limited, a South African salvage company, as the priority is now to remove all fuel and heavy oil on board the grounded Taiwanese fishing vessel FV YU FENG no 67 near the South Island of St Brandon. As such, a team is leaving Mauritius tomorrow to assess the situation while the necessary salvage equipment will be sent to St Brandon from Mombasa, Kenya.
The Acting Prime Minister (PM), Minister of Housing and Land Use Planning, Minister of Tourism, Mr Louis Steven Obeegadoo, made this statement, today, during a press conference held at the New Treasury Building in Port Louis.
The Vice-Prime Minister, Minister of Local Government and Disaster Risk Management, Dr Mohammad Anwar Husnoo; the Attorney General, Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security, Mr Maneesh Gobin; the Minister of Blue Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries and Shipping, Mr Sudheer Maudhoo; and other personalities, were also present.
Acting PM Obeegadoo highlighted that the aim is now to salvage FV YU FENG at the earliest and in the shortest period of time so as to ensure that no damage is caused to the fauna and flora on the South Island of St Brandon. He pointed out that some 10 days will be required in order to set up every required equipment before starting to salvage the grounded vessel, which, according to him, will take a few hours.
He underlined that Government is doing its best to ensure the effective removal of fuel and heavy oil from the vessel at the earliest, and that help has also been sought from friendly countries including France, India, Australia, South Africa, as well as from the United Nations Development Programme.
Furthermore, the Acting PM also informed that the Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change is working with a consultant so as to assess the situation from an ecological point of view and to ensure that appropriate actions are taken in a timely manner.
He nonetheless conceded that there are some risks associated to the salvaging of the fishing vessel, such as bad weather conditions, which are out of the relevant authorities’ control. However, he emphasised, there is a constant monitoring from a team of the National Coast Guard, who has set up an Incident Command Post on South Island of St Brandon. Some 195 metres of booms have also already been deployed around the fishing vessel, he added.
Moreover, Acting PM Obeegadoo underscored that: the grounded vessel is still at the same place as on 05 December 2022, that is, at 0,8 nautical miles from the South Island of St Brandon; there is no breach in its hull to date; there are no elements showing that heavy oil or diesel have spilled into the sea; and fauna and flora have not been affected. He also mentioned that the Dornier is being used on a regular basis so as to monitor the situation, along with the CGS Valiant and CGS Barracuda.
