2021 Mediterranean oil spill

All of Israel's beaches were closed until further notice. The population was advised not to go swimming or to play sports on the beach,[https://www.gov.il/en/departments/news/update_from_the_ministries_of_the_interior_environmental_protection_and_health Beach Update from the Ministries of Environmental Protection, Interior, and Health]. 21 February 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2021. as exposure to tar could endanger health.Holmes, Oliver (22 February 2021). [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/22/take-decades-clean-oil-spill-oil-spill-ravages-east-mediterranean "It'll take decades to clean": oil spill ravages east Mediterranean], The Guardian. Retrieved 23 February 2021.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the beach near the port city of Ashdod and announced that the Ministry of Environmental Protection would draw up a plan to clean the beaches.[https://www.dw.com/en/israel-scrambles-to-clean-beaches-after-mediterranean-oil-spill/a-56645514 Israel scrambles to clean beaches after Mediterranean oil spill], dw.com. 22 February 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2021. The Israeli military pledged to deploy several thousand soldiers to support more than 4000 EcoOcean volunteers, who had begun clearing the beaches of clumps of tar.

The Environmental Protection Ministry said that the pollution was due to tens to hundreds of tons of oil spilled from a ship or illegally dumped into the sea from a tanker and that they are working with European agencies to identify the ship responsible. Nine ships that would have been about 50 kilometers off Israel's coast on 11 February 2021 would be considered.

Numerous sea animals such as fish, turtles and seabirds were found washed up and covered with a black, sticky film. The entire ecosystem of the coast may have been damaged for decades. Cleanup will take months to years, officials said, at the estimated cost of tens of millions of shekels. The Israel Nature and Parks Authority described the maritime pollution as the worst natural disaster in years.

The Tyre Coast Nature Reserve had approximately two tons of tar, much of which was hidden under the sand. The reserve is as an important nesting site for endangered loggerhead and green sea turtles.{{Cite news|last=Rubin|first=Shira|date=February 28, 2021|title=Israel expands probe into the oil spill endangering its shoreline|language=en-US|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/israel-beach-coast-oil-tar/2021/02/28/69d280f8-79b6-11eb-8c5e-32e47b42b51b_story.html|access-date=2021-07-07|issn=0190-8286}} Many other damaged beaches in southern Lebanon are also important habitats for the turtles and other creatures.{{Cite news|last=Sherlock|first=Ruth|date=March 28, 2021|title=Amid Myriad Crises, Lebanon Now Confronts An Ecological Disaster On Its Shores|url=https://www.npr.org/2021/03/28/981688264/amid-a-myriad-of-crises-lebanon-now-confronts-an-ecological-disaster-on-its-shor|access-date=2021-03-29|work=NPR News|language=en}} A young fin whale about {{convert|17 |meters|ft|adj=mid|-long}} that washed up dead on a beach in the south of Israel, was found to have black liquid in its lungs.{{Cite news|last=Surkes|first=Sue|date=22 February 2021|title=Tarred and shuttered: Anatomy of the oil disaster that closed Israel's beaches|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/tarred-and-shuttered-anatomy-of-the-oil-disaster-thats-closed-israels-beaches/|access-date=2021-03-21|work=Times of Israel.com|language=en-US}} Numerous coral reefs on Israel's coast were covered with a layer of tar. According to the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, this endangers the existence of a rare sea snail that was recently rediscovered.{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}}

Several volunteers taking part in the massive clean-up operation complained of malaise after inhaling toxic fumes and were taken to hospitals.

According to the official Israeli investigation, the spilled oil originated from the tanker Emerald which was going from Iran to Syria. Black Cube private intelligence company said that the ship is owned by the Syrian Malah family via a complex structure of shell companies. The tanker was insured by the UAE-based Islamic P&I club, which “is solely used by Iranian ship owners that cannot find cover elsewhere” according to Lloyd’s List.{{cite web |title=Israel says tanker suspected of oil spill off coast has Syrian owners |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-says-tanker-suspected-of-oil-spill-off-coast-has-syrian-owners/ |website=Times of Israel |access-date=15 May 2021}}

At the request of the Environmental Protection Ministry, the Haifa Magistrates Court issued a gag order on 22 February: publications of the names of people or ships, ports, navigation routes or cargo that could lead to the identification of suspects were banned. The Israeli media described this as "irregular" while the environmental protection organization Adam Teva veDin warned of a loss of confidence in the government as a result of this measure. A representative from the environmental research center in Haifa accused the environmental ministry of failing to prevent such disasters and of a lack of transparency.{{cite news|last1=Joffre|first1=Tzvi|last2=Tercatin|first2=Rosella|date=22 February 2021|title=Israel investigates tar spill calamity, places inquiry under gag order|page=|newspaper=The Jerusalem Post|url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/israel-oil-spill-disaster-investigation-details-placed-under-censor-659765|access-date=|quote=}} The following day, the gag order was partially lifted, leaving only ongoing investigations under cover.{{Cite news|last=Tercatin|first=Rossella|date=23 February 2021|title=Gov't approves NIS 45m. for coastal tar spill clean up|work=The Jerusalem Post|url=https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/govt-approves-nis-45-m-for-coastal-tar-spill-clean-up-659909}} On 3 March, Israeli environment minister Gila Gamliel said the oil had been spilled intentionally by a ship carrying it from Iran to Syria, calling it an act of eco-terrorism;{{Cite web|last=Harkov|first=Lahav|date=4 March 2021|title=Mediterranean oil spill is 'eco-terrorism' by Iran, Israel says|url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/the-ship-behind-oil-spill-found-environmental-protection-minister-says-660817|url-status=live|access-date=2021-03-21|website=The Jerusalem Post {{!}} JPost.com|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210303153124/https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/the-ship-behind-oil-spill-found-environmental-protection-minister-says-660817 |archive-date=3 March 2021 }} however, her claims were disputed by security officials.{{Cite web|last=Winer|first=Stuart|date=4 March 2021|title=Environment minister adamant oil spill is Iran terror; defense figures skeptical|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/environment-minister-adamant-oil-spill-is-iran-terror-defense-figures-skeptical/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-03-21|website=www.timesofisrael.com|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210304150616/https://www.timesofisrael.com/environment-minister-adamant-oil-spill-is-iran-terror-defense-figures-skeptical/ |archive-date=4 March 2021 }}

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Oil spill

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Category:Pollution events in 2021

Category:Environmental disasters in Asia

2021 oil spill

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Category:February 2021 in Asia

Category:Oil spills in international waters

Category:Oil spills in Asia