Environmental disaster still possible off UK coast after tanker collision

CGTN Europe

There is still a risk of an environmental disaster - that's the warning from wildlife experts in the aftermath of the tanker collision off the coast of England.   CGTN correspondent Michael Marillier reports from the scene.

Transcript

00:00Anna Kaui is hoping for the best and preparing for the worst.

00:05Kaui is an environmental campaigner based on England's east coast.

00:10She grew more and more worried after two ships caught fire in the North Sea on Monday.

00:16Her biggest fear? That seabirds would be trapped in an oil spill.

00:20It means they can't regulate their body temperatures very well,

00:23they can't fly and they can't feed properly,

00:26so there is a real concern about the impact this could have for wildlife.

00:30East Yorkshire has one of the largest seabird colonies in the UK,

00:34but it's not just birds who flock to the region.

00:38Constituents in my constituency of Bridlington and the Wales

00:40are rightly concerned about the potential environmental and ecological impact,

00:44not least because we have around five million visitors who come to the area every year

00:48enjoying the beaches from Bridlington down to Hornsea.

00:50The incident is ruffling some feathers in Parliament.

00:54What on earth happened in this most extraordinary of events?

00:58Meanwhile, local politicians say the government must do whatever it takes

01:02to prevent an environmental disaster.

01:05The east coast is full of wonderful natural beauty

01:08and it's really important that there cannot be any ecological damage as a result of this disaster.

01:13There needs to be real detailed action set out in terms of the steps that are going to be taken

01:18to make sure that the shores along the east coast are not damaged.

01:22The UK's coastline spans thousands of kilometres.

01:26This incident out in the North Sea is a reminder of what's at stake.

01:31It's also posing the question, can the UK government handle a major environmental disaster?

01:39It's been a testing time for the country's coastguard,

01:43but officials say they have a clear plan in case any pollution enters the water.

01:49A comprehensive counter-pollution response is in place

01:52and His Majesty's coastguard continues to make preparations

01:55for any pollution that may occur as a result of damage to the vessels.

01:59It seems the environmental impact is limited, at least for now.

02:04But Anna says the traffic on the North Sea has forced marine animals

02:08into smaller areas over the last few years, making them vulnerable to disasters.

02:14She thinks authorities should designate more protected zones, free of any ships.

02:20We need to be making sure that we make space for nature

02:24and have multiple designations in place so that it can thrive and wildlife can recover.

02:34This is a beautiful part of Britain.

02:37The challenge now, making sure it stays that way.

02:41Michael Merilia, CGTN, East Yorkshire.

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