Brazilian Navy
A decommissioned 1960s aircraft carrier that had been floating offshore for three months since Turkey refused entry to be broken up there will be sunk in the Atlantic Ocean in waters under Brazilian jurisdiction, the Brazilian Navy announced on Wednesday.
The 32,000-tonne carrier from Sao Paulo had been towed by a tug to Europe but had not made it through the Strait of Gibraltar and had been sent back across the Atlantic after Turkey decided that it was an environmental hazard.
The navy said in a statement that the ship was taking on water and was in danger of sinking, so it was not allowed to dock in Brazilian ports.
Despite a plea from Environment Minister Marina Silva not to sink the carrier, the navy said it had no choice but to scuttle the ship in water about 5,000 meters away. (16,400 feet) deep 350 kilometers (217 miles) offshore Brazil’s Exclusive Economic Zone.
The site is away from environmental protection areas and free from undersea communication cables, according to the Navy statement.
“Given the deterioration of her buoyant condition and the inevitability of an uncontrolled sinking, there is no choice but to jettison the hull and sink her in a planned manner,” he said. declared.
The Navy had planned to scuttle the carrier Wednesday at sea, but prosecutors have sought to stop the sinking in Brazilian waters citing the environmental threat it poses, including tons of asbestos used for panels inside the ship. vessel.
A federal judge on Wednesday afternoon denied their request for an injunction, arguing that the Navy weighed the environmental impact against other factors.
The Clemenceau-class aircraft carrier served the French Navy from 1963 to 2000 as Foch, capable of carrying 40 aircraft.
The navy said in a statement that the ship was taking on water and was in danger of sinking, so it was not allowed to dock in Brazilian ports.
Despite a plea from Environment Minister Marina Silva not to sink the carrier, the navy said it had no choice but to scuttle the ship in water about 5,000 meters away. (16,400 feet) deep 350 kilometers (217 miles) offshore Brazil’s Exclusive Economic Zone.
The site is away from environmental protection areas and free from undersea communication cables, according to the Navy statement.
Given the deterioration of her buoyant condition and the inevitability of an uncontrolled sinking, there is no choice but to jettison the hull and sink her in a planned manner,” he said. declared.
The Navy had planned to scuttle the carrier Wednesday at sea, but prosecutors have sought to stop the sinking in Brazilian waters citing the environmental threat it poses, including tons of asbestos used for panels inside the ship. vessel.
A federal judge on Wednesday afternoon denied their request for an injunction, arguing that the Navy weighed the environmental impact against other factors.
The Clemenceau-class aircraft carrier served the French Navy from 1963 to 2000 as Foch, capable of carrying 40 aircraft.
