The little remote-controlled underwater robot did a good job. March 12, following a fire on board, the Grande America was wrecked in the Bay of Biscay, 300 km from La Rochelle. On board, a cargo containing, among other things, toxic products, but also 2,200 tonnes of fuel oil in its tank.
The wreckage is placed straight at 4,600 meters deep
Today, the risk of an oil spill seems definitively eliminated. Observations of a small submarine, dispatched to the scene of the sinking by the Italian cargo ship owner, show that the vessel is placed upright on a sandy bottom, at 4,600 meters depth. The wreckage is buried several meters in its rear part, and she is “honest”, specifies the Maritime Prefecture of the Atlantic.
– Sonar image – Atlantic Maritime Prefecture
The remote-controlled robot spotted some hydrocarbon leaks, which escaped from the tank through vents cargo. This is where the slight traces of fuel oil still present these last days on the surface of the sea come from. In order to stop these fuel oil leaks, the robot worked for several days at plug these vents. The operation ended on Tuesday April 16.
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No more ships on the scene of the sinking
L’Island Pride, the specialized vessel which transported the small robot, checked the waterproofing of the works, and left the shipwreck area, this Friday. There are therefore no more boats left on the premises. The maritime prefecture specifies that the area will remain under surveillance to ensure the absence of oil above the wreck.
– Atlantic Maritime Prefecture
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