Explosives considered for oil removal from Kowloon Bridge shipwreck

The Government considered using explosions to remove oil from the Kowloon Bridge, a cargo vessel shipwrecked off the West Cork coast in November 1986.

Files released under the 30-year rule show that the Government was still extremely concerned about the threat a further oil slick from the vessel posed to the local tourism and fishing industries several months later.

Department of Environment officials believed salvage experts might decide it would not be feasible to remove the remaining oil “by conventional means”.

The 900ft ship had already leaked an estimated 600 tonnes of fuel since it ran aground on the Stag Rocks off Toe Head on November 23 with pollution of varying degrees reported between Barley Cove, Co Cork, and Ardmore, Co Waterford.

Arrangements were being made to have the oil removed when the ship sank on December 3, 1986. The insurers of the original owners had refused to arrange for the removal of oil from the ship.

Rough sea conditions and issues over insurance and a change of ownership had prevented a full assessment of the wreck being carried out before the middle of February. It revealed the ship’s tanks were intact which indicated they could contain up to 1,000 tonnes of oil.

However, the Government decided that a more accurate assessment was necessary.

“If the examination confirms the department’s belief that a significant quantity of oil remains on board, consideration will have to be given to the possibility of releasing the oil by means of explosions and containing the resultant spillage,” said officials

Ultimately, 228.5 tonnes of oil was removed by conventional methods on May 21, 1987, at a cost of IR£250,000.