Trouble in Croatia

Stranded livestock freighter becomes an environmental threat

A cattle truck (symbolic image)(Bild: APA/AF)

Ten months ago, a cattle carrier ran aground off the Croatian coast - but the incident is still keeping the authorities of the Mediterranean state busy today. The owner has abandoned the ship. The wreck is now increasingly becoming an environmental threat. 

On April 16, 2024, the livestock carrier Deala, built in 1976, ran aground in a severe storm. The freighter eventually ran aground near the port of Raša in the Istria region. Fortunately, all 15 crew members survived the incident unharmed.

However, the ship suffered extensive damage: It sprung a leak and the engine room was flooded. The Croatian Ministry of Maritime Affairs assumed that the ship would be salvaged within a month.

The stranded ship: 

Croatia must take care of salvaging ship
However, the owner is no longer interested in the vessel, which is still lying on the rocks - only an oil barrier has been laid to protect the surrounding nature reserve from the dangers posed by the wreck. The Croatian taxpayer will probably have to cover the costs of removing the freighter. 

There is growing concern among local residents and politicians about the long-term ecological and economic damage caused by the ship's pollution. After all, the bay is important for the economy. "We are fighting for this ship to finally be removed and for our sea, our environment and our tourism to be preserved," said the mayors of the towns of Marcana and Barba.

Neven Ivesa, a professor at a nearby university, told local media that the best option would be to dismantle the ship on the spot and remove it piece by piece. Trying to refloat the ship to the point where it could be towed away could cause even greater damage. It would also be very costly: three million euros