Authorities in Croatia’s western Istria region are working to clean up Raska Bay after fuel leaked from the cargo ship ‘Fidelity’, which was sailing under a Lebanese flag.

Authorities said between five and 15 tonnes of fuel leaked into the bay while the ship was being refuelled. The ‘Fidelity’ is being held in Trget harbour while the incident is under investigation.  

“Considering the weather, it is expected that the entire bay, including a cultivation site for clams, has been polluted,” said the Director of the Civil Protection Agency in Istria, Dino Kozlovac.  

According to the Mayor of the Raska municipality, Glorija Paliska, the entire area has suffered extensive damage.  

“Raska Bay is known for its brackish, calm waters, and that is why a large area is affected by the pollution,” she said.  

Several hundred people are engaged in the cleanup operation, which is expected to last several days. Vessels in the area will not be allowed out until they are checked for potential material damage caused to the pollution.  

According to local harbour captain Dolores Brenko Skerjanc, the situation is under control.  

“There is no pollution out to sea, only traces of it in various areas on the water,” she said, adding that an oil containment boom has been put in place.  

She announced that the cleanup of surrounding beaches will be discussed at a meeting of the county’s operations centre. She emphasized that the harbour authorities are regularly monitoring the situation, and that she is convinced that the pollution was caused by human error, Croatia’s Radiotelevision (HRT) news portal wrote.