Safer seas: the fight goes on

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European Commission

2003

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Thousands of tonnes of heavy fuel oil spilled into the sea, polluting the Galician coastline. The

pollution then spread to the shores of Asturias, Cantabria and the Spanish Basque Country. On 31

December 2002, it reached the French coast and the first lumps of oil were washed up on the

beaches of the Landes and the Gironde. A week later, more than 200 km of Atlantic coastline from

the Spanish border to L'Ile d'Yeu were affected.

To combat the pollution, the Community Civil Protection Mechanism was activated. Resources and

equipment from several Member States for mapping oil slicks, and for treating and recovering the

oil were mobilised for the clean-up operation.