Oman issues ultimatum to clear ship wreckage

Muscat: Oman’s Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology issued an ultimatum to the owner of a ship grounded off the shore of Azaiba in Muscat to clear off the wreckage within a week from the date of the notice.

The Sri Lankan flagged ship, with a crew of six members, ran aground due to engine malfunction in November last year. The incident was notified by Oman’s Maritime Security Centre as well. The winds that prevailed led to the sinking of the ship subsequently.

Following the incident in November, the Maritime Security Centre held a meeting in the presence of all concerned official representatives and dealt with the situation. Necessary plans were executed to ensure the safety of fishermen, sea-goers, and the marine area surrounding the site of the accident to avoid any possible leaks that could cause marine and environmental pollution.

The crew of the wooden ship was evacuated and provided with the necessary care and attention and were reported to be in good health and without any injuries.

The Ministry has called on the owner of the ship to retrieve the wreckage from the current location, no later than one week from the date of publication of this announcement. Failure to initiate the necessary action by the ship owner would result in legal measures.