Israel cleans oil spill from Eilat beaches
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Xinhua, June 28, 2011
Israel's Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) said on Monday that it has successfully contained an oil spill along the shores of the southern Red Sea port of Eilat.
The spill allegedly came from a Panamanian ship, the Avramit, which was anchored offshore. The leaking crude oil was discovered last Friday, prompting Eilat's Marine Pollution Prevention Station to begin pumping the floating fuel, according to a ministry statement.
Working along with other national environmental bodies, the local staffers were able to suck up 12 tons of fuel, and transfer seven tons to the nearby oil tanks of the Eilat-Ashkelon Pipeline Company.
Israel's Shipping and Ports Authority has opened an investigation to determine the exact origin of the spill, and will detain the Panamanian vessel until the conclusion of the probe, the MEP statement read.
