There are no reasons for concerns about pollution from ship burning in Baltic Sea - Environmental Service

  • 2023-02-22
  • LETA/TBT Staff

RIGA - There are currently no reasons for concerns about possible pollution from the ship burning in the Baltic Sea, Aija Jalinska, a spokeswoman for the State Environmental Service, told LETA. 

According to Jalinska, the Environmental Service has detailed information about the content and size of the ship's hazardous cargo. Environmental risks have been assessed and are being managed, so there are no concerns about environmental pollution. 

All relevant services and representatives of the vessel's owner have been involved in dealing with the fire accident at sea, while the Environmental Service is monitoring the situation.

As reported, the Escape, a freighter carrying a hazardous cargo, caught fire in the Baltic Sea last night. The crew abandoned the ship, and in the morning, it was drifting off the western coast of the Gulf of Riga. 

Liva Veita, a spokeswoman for the Latvian Naval Forces, told LETA that the crew left the ship in a life boat. All 15 crew members were taken aboard the Kairit ship.

The Dutch-flagged freighter Escape is carrying hazardous materials in containers - polymers and paints. There is no information to suggest that the containers, too, were affected by the fire.