Other events in Baltic States

A 244-metres long tanker Pacific Empire ran aground early Saturday morning near the Estonian Aegna Island but was freed that evening and sailed to the Muuga port; the tanker had major damages but at no time posed it ant danger for the environment, National Broadcasting/LETA reports.

The tanker that sailed under the Hong Kong flag ran aground at 5.45 a.m. Saturday East of the Aegna island that is near Estonia’s capital Tallinn in Gulf of Finland. There was no environmental pollution and no one was injured. The tanker was freed with the help of towboats by 9 p.m. Saturday and sailed to the Muuga port.

Divers ascertained major damages, holes and dents, on the bottom part of the hull of the ship. The ship is capable of sailing though and when the place of repairs for the ship will be decided, it will receive a permit for one-time sailing to that port, Estonian Waterways Board said.

Tow-boat company PKL council chairman Rein Tõntson said that initially the fear was that the situation would be very serious but divers ascertained that the ship was not very heavily aground since the shore at the place was very steep and the ship was struck with just an edge of the bottom. Tõntson said that it was a very lucky accident since the tanker was not carrying any load, i.e. oil during the accident.

The reasons and circumstances of the accident will become clear in the course of investigation and cannot be speculated upon, Estonian Waterways Board said. It will inform Hong Kong and then it will be decided whether Estonia or Hong Kong will carry out the investigation.