ISKENDERUN - A cargo ship ''MV Ulla'', carrying Saint Vincent flag sank on Monday with its 2,200 tones of ''toxic material'' in Turkish port of Iskenderun. The ship has been moored in Iskenderun port in southern city of Hatay for more than four years.
''MV Ulla'', which came to Iskenderun port four years ago, was not allowed to discharge its load on grounds that it contains hazardous waste.
Iskenderun subgovernor Omer Dogan earlier said several parts of the ship rotted in the bottom and noted that the ship had to be sent back to Spain within the framework of Basel Agreement on Waste Trade.
Dogan said that the ship had recently begun taking in water and sank before another ship had been able to take its cargo. ''Efforts will be started to determine the damage and to remove the toxic matter from the sea,'' Dogan said.
Turkish Prime Ministry Crisis Center issued a statement and said the fly ash substance, a byproduct of burning coal, which had been sent from a Spanish company to Algeria to be used in dam construction was not accepted and that this substance was brought to Turkey on February 25, 2000 by MV Ulla.
It was reported that the issue had been discussed at a meeting between Spanish and Turkish delegations on December 13, 2002. Spain had expressed its will to take the waste back from Turkey.
However, the ship could not be sent back as there was a warrant of sequestration. Later, the decision of sequestration on the ship had been removed but the ship sank before Spain take it back.
The statement said it was not immediately clear if any environmental damage was caused by the sinking of the ship but officials said there is always a risk but it is too early to assess the extend of the damage. (AY-ULG) 07.09.2004