A large environmental clean-up operation is underway in the sea area of ​​Monemvasia, 0.2 nautical miles, northeast of the “Karavia” rocky islets in the Myrtos Sea to prevent a huge ecological disaster, after the serious accident with the sinking of Sea-Bird which hit some islets.

The ship was carrying 7,000 tonnes of grain from Ukraine to Tunisia. Its 16-member crew, all Syrians, were rescued after a timely intervention by the Coast Guard.

Experts say it could be an ecological time-bomb ready to go off, as the cargo ship is loaded with 150 tons of heavy fuel which if leaked into the sea, the ecological disaster will be devastating for the wider region of the eastern Mediterranean. The shipwreck is located at a depth of 100 metres. The operation of pumping the fuel out of the wreck is extremely difficult.

The Minister of Shipping and Island Policy, Giannis Plakiotakis, directed the competent authorities to activate an anti-pollution plan, which he is overseeing.