Caught in a storm, the Maltese tanker Erika, chartered by Total, broke in two, December 12, 1999, south-west Penmarc’h in Finistere. That was two days he struggled against winds of force 8 and 6 meter waves. The crew was safely evacuated by helicopters from the Navy helped by reinforcements from the Royal Navy.
Nearly 20 000 tonnes of fuel (about 37 000 in tanks of oil) are discharged into the sea after several days adrift, groundwater reaching the French coast from December 24.
Balls and oil slicks invade the beaches of Brittany to the Charente-Maritime.
From the first balls on the sand, the inhabitants of the areas concerned to join forces to go and clean beaches. A daunting task: oil glue seeps around the rocks, spreads for miles and miles. Quickly, the rising anger also vis-a-vis Total charterer of the Erika, trash that boat.
The sinking of the Erika has caused many injuries. Economics for the affected communes (fears for tourism in particular), but mainly environmental. The marine flora and fauna have been severely affected. The birds have paid a heavy price: between 150 000 and 300 000 birds have died because of oil (picture: a guillemot).
80% of birds died due to pollution from the Erika were guillemots (photo), like a little penguin who spends all his time at sea as it seeks its food by “flying” underwater. The first bird found failed to December 14 Lesconil in Brittany, was also a guillemot. He was immediately transferred to the care center LPO Ile Grande, in the Cotes d’Armor. There is no more in France than 150 pairs of guillemots, confined to the northern coast of Brittany.
The Bird Protection League has been extremely active to treat and save the species affected. She had 24 health centers, transit and collection during the disaster.
A year after the disaster, the LPO is the balance: it is estimated that 65 000 birds oiled dead or alive (and hailed as treatment centers) were collected since December 1999.
On January 19, 2000, the first birds were released at the Great Island: 45 guillemots, gannets 5 (photo) and 7 and gulls.
In January 2002, the LPO filed a complaint with a civil claim against X, with the Correctional Court of Paris, in charge of the case. The association seeks compensation for his pecuniary (residual expenditure) for moral damage and environmental damage (damage to the birds and ecosystems). Photo: gannets pool in a health center.
Etoile
Garnet
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