US Cleanup Recovers Nearly Half-Million Gallons Of Oil From WWII Shipwreck - Coast Guard

A three-month cleanup operation off the coast of New York state has recovered nearly all the oil from a World War II shipwreck that had threatened to foul Long Island beaches, the US Coast Guard announced in a press release on Thursday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th July, 2019) A three-month cleanup operation off the coast of New York state has recovered nearly all the oil from a World War II shipwreck that had threatened to foul Long Island beaches, the US Coast Guard announced in a press release on Thursday.

"The 450,000 gallons removed from the Coimbra over the last three months were a hidden threat to the health of Long Island's marine fishery and the South Shore's environment and now the potential impact has been abated," New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos said in the release.

A unified command consisting of the Coast Guard and DEC oversaw a response supported by more than 100 government, industry and environmental specialists, the release said.

As much as 99 percent of the recoverable oil was removed, with the wreck now posing minimal risk to the local environment and no risk to the shoreline, the release added.

The sunken wreck will remain 30 miles off the coast of Long Island as part of a network of artificial reefs that attract fish for recreational divers and fishermen, according to the release.