Sunken trawler is no environmental risk

STANLEY, Falkland Islands , Feb. 14 (UPI) -- A trawler loaded with fish and 500 tons of fuel that sank off the coast of the Falkland Islands is not posing an environmental risk, a fisheries official says.

John Barton, director of fisheries in the Falklands, told a meeting of the Fisheries Committee this week any fuel surfacing from the Ferramales, which went down Feb. 2 about 70 miles north of the islands, should dissipate quickly, Mercopress reported Wednesday.

The vessel's 32 crew members got into life rafts and were rescued by another trawler. An investigation into the maritime mishap was being conduced by the Falklands' marine officer, Penguin News reported.

Ship Capt. Jose Santos, who returned to Spain with the several Spanish members of the crew, told reporters in Vigo that "terrible weather and the fact the vessel was loaded with fish made it very difficult to control the situation."