Israeli Army Refuses to allow oil spill aerial survey flight off Lebanon
Beirut, 18
August 2006
Efforts by officials to assess the extent of the Lebanon oil spill offshore were dealt another set back Friday when the Israeli army denied a government-to-government (French-Israeli Government) request to allow one over flight with French helicopters for spill experts to survey the offshore area.
Until now, the air / sea embargo has prevented spill experts from getting detailed information on the locations and trajectory of the oil spill, now estimated at approximately 15,000 tons (4 million gallons). Spill experts have been limited for the most part to using satellite imagery, and observations from shore. Thus, it has been very difficult to ascertain the full extent of contamination offshore.
Professor Rick Steiner, a professor at the University of Alaska in the U.S. who is been in Beirut advising the Ministry of Environment, IUCN, and Green Line on the spill, had requested use of French helicopters flying relief missions from Cyprus for the spill reconnaissance mission. The French Embassy requested permission from the Israeli army for the spill overflight mission, and today Colonel Luc. Batigne of the French Embassy informed Professor Steiner that the answer was “No.” “Colonel Batigne told me today at noon that their ambassador had tried, as well as another European Union official, but that the Israeli army will not permit any flights along the Lebanese coast, either north or south” Steiner said.
"It is very unfortunate that we could not get approval for this urgently necessary mission” said Steiner. “We need to get out over the water to survey the exact extent of the oil now, so that we can decide what offshore response assets may be appropriate. Until we do, it’s a lot of guess work."
Steiner, who has worked on many oil spills around the world, including the Exxon Valdez in Alaska, the Tasman Spirit in Pakistan, and the Braer in Scotland, had asked to survey the area from Jiyyeh, where the spill originated, offshore 30 km, and north to the Syrian border. "This is the normal method of surveying all oil spills, everywhere in the world. Until we get out over the sea, we are guessing what went where. I am very thankful for the offer of cooperation from the French military to support this mission, but very disappointed that the Israeli army will not permit us to fly", said Steiner. He went on to say that “this is no way to treat a small planet.
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