Crews are continuing the task of collecting the smaller pieces of wreckage from the PETSAS I and PERLA BIANCA, the two boats destroyed off Cape Greco in an accident that killed businessman Dimis Mavropoulos. A private company has been hired to carry out the clean-up using boats, a crane and divers. The operation is expected to take seven working days.
Theodoulos Mesimeris, deputy director-general of the Deputy Ministry of Shipping, told philenews that action was taken immediately to complete the clean-up of the area as quickly as possible. He said large pieces of both boats remain on the seabed and a large crane will be needed to lift them out.
“We started the process last Sunday, together with the Department of Fisheries,” Mesimeris said. Officials recorded objects along the coastline and on the seabed, where divers went down to survey the wreckage. On Monday, an urgent tender was issued for the lifting and collection of all the debris. He added that officials had also spoken to the insurance companies for the two sunken boats, which will cover the cost of the operation. That cost is put at around 170,000 euros. Working with the Cyprus Ports Authority, it was decided that the wreckage would be moved to a covered CPA facility at Larnaca port.
The tender was ultimately awarded to VTS (Vasiliko Terminal Services), which operates tugboats and anti-pollution equipment at Vasiliko. The company has been given seven working days to complete the clean-up of the seabed, sea surface and coastline.
The operation began yesterday in the presence of representatives from the insurance companies, along with members of the Port Police, the Department of Fisheries and the Deputy Ministry of Shipping. The first equipment arrived yesterday, and the initial step was to lay a containment boom to address pollution concerns.
Boats remain in the area, and divers were working today to retrieve the smaller pieces of wreckage, while a crane is due to arrive for the larger sections. “We acted very quickly to clean up the area as soon as possible,” Mesimeris said.
