The trail leads to the sea: a vessel is being sought in Kurzeme from which oil products may have been dumped

Photo: LETA

Laboratory analyses of oil products found on the coast of the Baltic Sea in Kurzeme have ruled out the previously considered version that the pollution could have historical origins. This was reported by the head of the public relations department of the State Environmental Service (SES), Aija Yalinska.

According to her, the State Environmental Service (SES) received the results of laboratory tests of oil pollution samples found on the Kurzeme coast. The analyses showed that the samples mainly contain light oil products — predominantly diesel fuel and gas oil.

At the same time, the research results do not confirm the previously considered version that the pollution washed ashore is old and has historical origins.

After receiving the laboratory analysis results, the SES obtained initial information about the composition of the pollution. However, specialists will conduct additional, more detailed studies that may help identify the source of the oil products.

The SES is cooperating with other responsible institutions in Latvia and abroad to identify the vessel from which the oil products were presumably illegally dumped into the sea, Yalinska reported.

It was previously reported that oil pollution had been discovered on the coast of the Baltic Sea in Kurzeme. Only on the coast of Ventspils, about 800 bags of oil-contaminated materials were collected over several days, according to the Ventspils municipality.

Photo: LETA

Last Saturday, oil pollution was washed ashore along the entire length of the Ventspils city beach, as well as on the coast of the Ventspils region.

Employees of the State Environmental Service and the State Fire and Rescue Service inspected the sea coast from Užava to Liepāja and took samples of the oil pollution washed ashore.

According to the SES, the total volume of the discovered pollution cannot be considered large; however, the oil products were scattered over a significant area of the coast.

Now, one of the main tasks for specialists remains to identify the source of the pollution. The results obtained indicate light oil products, and Latvian services, together with foreign partners, are trying to determine whether their source could be on one of the vessels passing through the Baltic Sea.