Grounded ferry off Swedish coast remains adrift, leaking oil

The passenger ferry Marco Polo, which ran aground in the Baltic Sea off the southern Swedish coast a week ago and caused a major oil spill, has started leaking oil again, the Swedish coast guard said on Sunday.

The extent of the new oil leak could not yet be assessed, it added.

The vessel has also come adrift, leading to the evacuation of some of the remaining crew. Due to strong winds, "the vessel drifted in the afternoon and an evacuation (of the remaining crew members) is being carried out by the maritime and air rescue centre (JRCC)," the coast guard said.

It added that the ship then ran aground again, half a nautical mile from its previous position.

What happened to the ferry?

The ferry Marco Polo, operated by TT-Line, first ran aground south of the southern city of Karlshamn on October 22, but was able to continue its journey, only to run aground after another 5 kilometers.

The ship's 75 passengers and some crew were safely evacuated. It has since been stranded near Horvik, about 120 kilometers northeast of Malmo.

Swedish authorities said Thursday that the ship was still stuck and leaking oil, adding that it would likely take days before a salvage operation could begin.

The coastguard said about 25,000 liters of oil and oil spillage had been recovered during the week. According to Swedish authorities, it could take up to a year to fully clean up the spill.

Sweden on Friday fined two crew members of the ferry for "recklessness in maritime traffic."

dh/jcg (AFP, dpa)