“Petrozavodsk” ran aground right in the middle of the breeding area of large sea bird colonies in May 2009. Both the captain and mate of the vessel were charged for breaking the Maritime Code by drinking while on duty. Satellite tracks showed that the vessel held steady course straight towards the shore, as BarentsObserver reported.
The Norwegian Coastal Administration and representatives for the owners of the vessel last week inspected the wreck on Bjørnøya, NRK reports . The ship is now broken in two and the front part has tipped over into the sea.
- We are considering different alternatives, says Han Petter Mortensholm in the Norwegian Coastal Administration. The wreck was emptied for oil and fuel last year and does no longer impose any environmental threat, he adds.
One of the possible solutions is to drag the wreck off the cliffs and sink it. The harsh weather conditions in the area give the authorities little time to make up their mind – if anything should be done this year, it has to be done in August, according to Mortensholm.
