Greek authorities and the Greek Center for Marine Research officially declared the beaches, the sea, the sea bottom and the benthic ecosystem along the Athens Riviera as free from the oil spill pollution after tanker Agia Zoni II sank that occurred beginning of September 2017.
On 15. Sept 2017, authorities had banned swimming along the north and west coastline of the Saronic Gulf after thousands of liters polluted the sea and the beaches.
Millions of Athens residents saw with horror the black oil spill being washed ashore, forcing the majority of them to stop swimming already beginning of the autumn.
In a press conference on Wednesday, Minister of Shipping, the head of the Hellenic Coast Guard and other high-ranking officials declared that:
The beaches, the sea, the seabed and the marine organisms and species ecosystem along the Athens Riviera, in the areas of Salaminia, Glyfada, Ellinikon, Alimos and Palaio Faliro are clean of the pollution remains left by Agia Zoni II.
These are the results of research surveys and measurements conducted by the Greek Center for Marine Research in cooperation with two Polytechnic Universities in Athens and Crete as well as with two ecological institutes at the University of Athens.
The International Oil Pollution Fund (IOPF) funded the clean up as well as compensation to affected municipalities and business sectors with 51 million euros.
Already after December 2017, it appeared that there were no significant pollution findings and remains of petroleum hydrocarbon.
Marine organisms appear to have been unaffected and no evidence of bio-accumulation of pollutants originating from the wreck have been found.
With regards to the seabed, two underwater video footage at depths of 3 to 20 meters and samples collected at selected points, at greater depths of up to 92 meters showed no remaining oil.
The maximum fine of 1.2million euros has been imposed on the company of Agia Zoni II, the minister said.
Already, last month, the mayor of Palaio Faliro declared that the area was free from oil pollution free.
Note: The sea is free from the oil pollution. this doe snot mean that the sea is free also by other bugging items like e-coli etc. The Clean Beaches report usually is published every June.
