Israel has identified ship that caused oil spill

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) –
Israel has identified the ship that recently caused a massive Mediterranean oil spill that has been described as the worst environmental disaster to affect Israeli beaches in decades, the Times of Israel reports. No details about the ship were given.

The announcement came days after Israel’s Environment ministry said a Greek oil tanker had not been responsible, and that dozens of other possible vessels were being considered.

The devastation caused by the spill first became clear when, together with other wildlife, a dead 17-meter baby fin whale was discovered on a beach in southern Israel’s last month, the Times of Israel reports. Israel’s Health Ministry has ordered a ban on the sale of fish and other seafood from the Mediterranean.

Tweeting that the “criminal ship” has now been found, Israel Environmental Protection Minister Gila Gamliel posted Wednesday: “Our long reach will get to all those who harm nature in the sea and our beaches.”

A huge cleanup operation has been activated, and thousands of Israelis have joined the Israel Nature and Parks Authority and IDF soldiers in removing tons of sand and other material contaminated by tar. So far, around 120 tons of waste have been removed from the northern coastal beaches of Jisr az-Zarqa, Herzliya, and Atlit, and from Palmachim in central Israel.

Preparations are underway to clear other severely impacted beaches as well: it has been estimated that Haifa’s five beaches alone have a total of some 152 tons of contaminated waste to be cleared.

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