Spain has summoned British Ambassador Denise Holt over the oil spill from cargo ship New Flame in Gibraltar's waters, Spain's Environment Minister Cristina Narbona said Monday.
The authorities of Gibraltar, a British enclave that is part of mainland Spain, has failed to perform their duties after failing to deal with the oil spill after the ship collided with a Danish tanker off the Gibraltar coast on Aug. 12 and began to sink, Narbona said.
He added that Gibraltar authorities had assumed all responsibility related to the incident and Holt was summoned "as part of a logical process of demanding action and responsibility by the Spanish government."
The minister reaffirmed the country's calling, as it has on several previous occasions, for the joining of Britain and Gibraltar with Spain in the setting up of a vigilance and enforcement mechanism to prevent the recurrence of such accidents.
The New Flame sank almost completely over the weekend and Monday only its upper section could be seen above the surface.
Ecologists in Spain have warned repeatedly that the oil spilled from the ship polluted its coastline in the Algeciras area and technicians are trying to find out whether more areas are being affected by the shipwreck's pollution.
Source: Xinhua
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