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Government sounds SOS to deal with oil slick

    ABIDJAN

    Gabon appealed on Wednesday for international help to remove a Greek-owned cargo ship that sank, during bad weather, 18 km from the capital, Libreville and is leaking oil.

    Gabonese Prime Minister Jean-Francois Ntoutoume Emane called on European Union ambassadors and those of the United States, Russia, Japan and China to help move the vessel, The Peter, which Dutch salvage experts say will cost US $1.4 million, news organisations reported.

    “There is no question of (Gabon) paying because we are not responsible for the sinking. On the other hand we can’t leave the vessel in its current state,” he said.

    The vessel was carrying 400 mt of fuel. AFP reported that Gabon had demanded that vessel’s owners, Lane Enterprises, pay a security of three million dollars.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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