An unstoppable black tide ” “” “

The oil tanker “Prestige” sank off the Spanish coast of Galicia on Tuesday, 19 November, polluting almost 300 kilometres of coastline with some 70,000 tons of crude oil and causing untold damage to the region’s economy. Apart from the environmental disaster and the social repercussions on the local populations, the question still remains open of the lack of safety and respect for maritime laws on board vessels that use “flags of convenience”, those that Spanish seamen frankly call “pirate ships”. We sounded out some opinions in Spain about the disaster. “In times such as these we need to open ourselves to solidarity, but also gauge the responsibilities of those who caused such consequences”: so said the archbishop of Santiago de Compostela (Spain), Msgr . Juliàn Barrio Barrio. “Our ‘Coast of Death’ – said the archbishop of the Galician city – has been reached by the black tide of crude oil from the vessel with catastrophic consequences for this region and for the many families who live and work here”. Once again, he added, “facts such as these impel us to recognize the protection of the environment as a real emergency of our time”. “God – Archbishop Barrio recalled – placed us here as the guardians of the earth and this implies respect for ethical and moral rules. The safeguard of the environment demands a compromise on the part of everyone to achieve the common good. Ecology and solidarity are closely linked”. The hope is, he concluded. “that all the people damaged by this ecological disaster may receive a prompt response to their problems and that decisions be taken to prevent such incidents from ever being repeated again”. Msgr. Angel Galindo Garcia, of the Episcopal Commission for social ministry, which is also responsible for the safeguard of the creation, is of the same view. “What has happened off the Galician coast – he said – does not concern Spain alone, but is an international problem. What’s lacking is a proper regulation of international trade, in which the big multinationals have a preponderant influence, and an international political authority capable of putting in place strict rules in this sector”. However, according to Galindo Garcia, the problem cannot be solved just by “a clear political will”: what’s also needed is “a renewed ecological ethics aimed at the safeguard of the creation. In this field the Church may offer her contribution to heighten awareness and denounce those actions detrimental to the common good”. The sinking of the “Prestige” is a “real tragedy”, both for the fishermen of Galicia, and because it poses anew the serious problem of ships that sail under “flags of convenience”, without either safety guarantees or respect for maritime laws: that’s the view of Father José Beobide, in charge of the seafaring apostolate in the Spanish episcopal Commission for migration. The pastoral ministry of seamen is in direct contact with the persons involved in the disaster: “We in the Church – he stresses – are expressing solidarity with the families and at the same time denouncing the situations of injustice that sailors have to experience on board such vessels, which do not meet minimum safety standards and flout maritime laws”. “In Galicia large numbers of people live from the proceeds of fishing and the gathering of shellfish – points out Father Beobide -. The sinking of the Prestige is a real tragedy for them, especially at this time, because Christmas is the most favourable period for the gathering and sale of shellfish. Over half of the Atlantic coast of Galicia has already been affected by this black tide”. This oil tanker, accuses Father Beobide, “was in a deplorable condition because it was one of the many vessels that sail under ‘flags of convenience’ (including Liberia, Malta, Singapore, Cyprus, the Bahamas), with few controls on safety and low wages and exploitation of crews, who often come from the world’s poorest countries”. According to Beobide, “many mistakes were made in reacting to this tragedy: beginning with the fact that no deep-sea tugs were available in this area; nor was account taken of the fact that the currents and wind often come from the west, so that the black tide was immediately directed towards Europe. Another problem of flags of convenience – he said – is that it’s difficult or impossible to establish who are the actual owners of the vessel, with the result that there is a grave lack of responsibility in the management of such vessels, which seamen call ‘pirate ships'”. Patrizia Caiffa and Daniele Rocchi