Oil Recovered from the Erika Tanker Spill

French Navy anti pollution teams equipped with TDS 200 Skimmers are currently fighting the oil spill caused by Maltese tanker Erika.

The tanker broke in two during rough weather on December 12, 110 km south of Brest France. Authorities estimated the initial spill at 10,000 tons (2,9 million gallons).

On site report
Foilex representative Mr Daniel Guyomarch has been onboard the French Navy oil spill control vessel "L'Ailette" since Friday. He says that on site conditions have been "terrible with 5-6 meter waves and some times even up to 8 m".
The oil is spread around in in-numeral smaller slicks of 20 to 50 metres and the oil layer thickness is approx. 15 cm (6 inches).
Mr Guyomarch reports that they operated approx. 25 hours during Monday to Wednesday. The TDS 200 Skimmer had yesterday recovered more than 240 m3 of the heavily emulsified oil, which has been tested to be of 250.000 cSt viscosity and has a sticky characteristic.