샌프란시스코 배이만에서 한국 선박 배이브릿지를 드리 받다.

샌프란시스코 배이만에서 한국 선박 환경사고를 일으키다.

 

보도에 의하면, 미국시간 11월 7일 수요일 한국 코스코 선적이 샌프란시스코와 오크랜드를 가로지르는 배이 다리의 교각을 부딛치면서 오일 탱크 파열로 오일을 흘리면서 십여년만에 가장 큰 환경사고를 일으켰다고 한다. 선장을 비롯한 배의 승무원들은 형사입건되어 조사를 받고 있는데 처벌을 피할수 없다고 한다. 사진에 보이는 선박은 한진이라는 글자가 선명하다.

 

11월 13일 현재 캘리포니아 주지사는 배이지역에 비상사태를 선포한 이후 후속조치로 내일로 예정된 '게시즌'을 연기하도록 직권명령을 내렸다. 배이지역에서 게를 상업적으로 잡고 팔고 할수 없는 조치로 관광객들에겐 엄청난 피해가 아닐수 없다. 각 환경단체는 오일 spill로 인한 철새들의 보호에 천여명에 이르는 봉사자들을 투입한 상태로 이미 수백마리의 오염된 철새들을 구조했고 2백여마리의 철새들의 사체를 인양했다고 발표했다.

 

이번 사고는 피할수 있는 인재였다고 각 방송이 전하는 걸로 보아서 한국선박의 선주는 처벌에 따르는 벌금과 손해배상을 하게될것으로 판단된다.  

 

아래는 미국 환경뉴스의 보도내용이다.

 

Cargo Ship Hits Bridge, Spills Oil into San Francisco Bay

SAN FRANCISCO, California, November 8, 2007 (ENS) - In the largest oil spill in San Francisco Bay in at least a decade, a container ship navigating outbound through heavy fog hit a span of the San Francisco Bay Bridge Wednesday morning.

 

The collision damaged the 900-foot container carrier Cosco Busan, allowing 58,000 gallons of bunker fuel to spill into the bay. CALTRANS has confirmed there is no structural damage to the bridge.

 

Two overflights conducted this morning showed that oil has now spread as far south as Hunters Point, east of Treasure Island and Angel Island, up through Raccoon Straits and Brook Island along the San Francisco city waterfront and past the Golden Gate Bridge as far north as Tennessee Point in Marin County.

 

Marine Spill Response Corporation and the National Response Center report about 8,000 gallons of the oil have been recovered.

 

Due to potential health concerns, Baker Beach, Fort Point, Crissy Field, China Beach, Kirby Cove, Rodeo Beach, Muir Beach and Angel Island shoreline are closed to the public. The ferries are still running to Angel Island.

 

A U.S. Coast Guard boat pulls alongside the damaged Cosco Busan now at anchor in San Francisco Bay. (Photo courtesy U.S. Coast Guard)

Public Health Officials reported that people on port property near the spill experienced headaches and nausea due to the oil vaporizing into the air. While this type of exposure is noxious, breathing oil fumes is not associated with long term health effects. "If you cannot smell the oil, you are not breathing it," said Mitch Katz, MD, director of San Francisco Department of Public Health.

 

More than 200 people from federal, state and local agencies and nonprofit organizations are responding to the Cosco Busan spill.

 

First, fuel was transferred from the compromised tanks to stop the leaking and the vessel has been moved to an anchorage in the bay.

 

Clean up actions have begun to remove the fuel from the bay. There are five skimmers in the bay and three skimmers outside of the Golden Gate Bridge working to recover spilled oil. A skimmer is a mechanized oil recovery system that uses a belt made from a material that attracts oil.

 

Crews have placed 18,000 feet of boom around the Bay Area to protect the beaches and wildlife.

All crewmembers and the pilot that were onboard the Cosco Busan at the time of the accident were alcohol tested within the required two hour time limit. The results of the tests were negative.

All crewmembers involved in the navigation of the Cosco Busan including the pilot provided samples to be drug tested within the first few hours. The results for the drug samples will not be available until early next week.

 

The Bay Air Quality Management District has been conducting ambient air sampling to determine if there is any threat to public health. So far, these tests have not shown any significantly elevated levels of volatile organic compounds in the areas surrounding the spill.

 

"The Air District is responding to odor complaints and monitoring air quality in the area to ensure air quality is safe," said Jack Broadbent, the Air District's Executive Officer.

 

"Although the results from the monitoring show that the levels of hydrogen sulfide do not pose a threat to public health, it's prudent to minimize your exposure and stay away from the spill areas and avoid contact with bay waters," Broadbent said. The ambient air levels observed should not result in any long-term adverse health impacts.

 

University of California-Davis wildlife experts are leading the rescue of oiled birds. Three veterinarians and a veterinary technician arrived at Fort Mason Wednesday to organize the rescue effort and begin treating injured birds.

 

By this afternoon, there were 21 seabirds being treated, all of them surf scoters, according to UC Davis veterinarian Michael Ziccardi, director of the California Oiled Wildlife Care Network.

 

Jonna Mazet, a UC Davis veterinarian and international authority on the rescue and treatment of oiled wildlife, has said in the past that for every oiled seabird that is found washed ashore, an estimated 10 to 100 birds died at sea.

 

The public is asked to report any injured and or oiled wildlife and not to approach or handle as there may be safety concerns.

 

The Oiled Wildlife reporting hot line number is 877-823-6926. The oil sightings and claims number is 985-781-0804. The public information hotline is 415-399-7305.

 

The Coast Guard is conducting an investigation as to the cause of this incident.

 

Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2007. All rights reserved.