UAE- Diesel still leaking from sunken ship 

(MENAFN - Khaleej Times) Diesel is still leaking from a tanker of the 'White Whale' vessel which sank last week 11 nautical miles off the Umm Al Quwain coast, and submarines are struggling to block the open notch which was closed on Friday.

According to an official at the UAQ Municipality, the leak is very little. "However, the diesel spill has spread over an area of around half mile in diametre, 2,500 degrees east of the sunken ship. We are meeting round the clock to make sure the Iranian ship is recovered safely and very quickly to avoid any potential environmental disaster," he told Khaleej Times.

Specialists and divers from the National Crisis and Emergency Management Authority, UAE Coast Guard, UAQ Police, National Transport Authority, and UAQ Municipality, met on Friday to follow up the rescuing of the ship carrying over 1,000 tonnes of diesel fuel - earlier reported as only 450 tonnes.

A senior official at the UAQ said that the case is being investigated by the police, and "is to be brought later to the prosecution for interrogation, final charges statement, and legal action, including hefty fine and compensation against the damage," he said on condition of anonymity.

"In line with the data collected, we will start floating the cargo vessel lying at a depth of 35 metres, and bringing it to the shore, yet after making sure the diesel tankers are tightly sealed," said Dr Mariam Al Shenasi, Undersecretary of the Ministry. The Ministry of Environment and Water is working on a three-phase plan to salvage the vessel.