South Africa steps up fight to contain oil spill from grounded ship

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Rough sea swells have battered the Panama-flagged general cargo vessel "Ultra Galaxy" since it drifted onto a sand bank three weeks ago close to Doring Bay, some 300km (186 miles) north of Cape Town, after the ship's crew abandoned the vessel when it started taking on water.

"Salvage operations are continuing and more equipment is being mobilised to contain the oil spill," said Tebogo Ramatjie, spokesperson for the South African Maritime Safety Authority (Samsa).

The spill took place over the weekend when the ship broke into four sections, with large waves almost seven metres (23ft) high crashing into the wreck every 15 seconds at one stage, Samsa said.

A salvage team has managed to remove several lube oil drums and about eight tons of marine gas oil from the wreck's fuel tanks. Samsa has said there were approximately 500 tons of fuel aboard the vessel that still needed to be removed.

"We haven't yet received any reports of oiled wildlife and there has not been reported sightings of oiled wildlife at this stage," Monica Stassen of seabird conservation group Sanccob said.

The spill happened along a corridor that endangered African penguins traverse when migrating from South Africa to Namibian waters, she said.

Pollution could also threaten Olifants River estuary further south, one of South Africa's largest and home to flamingoes, herons and other water birds, Stassen added.

An oil spill contingency plan was immediately launched and about 125 people from local communities are helping with mopping up operations, Samsa's Ramatjie said earlier.

US-based Resolve Marine, initially appointed to handle the salvage operation, has been replaced by Smit International, he said.