WILLEMSTAD - The investigation into the accident, exactly a year ago with the mobile oil platform CIMC Gretha near Sint Michiel (Boka Samí), is according to the Minister of Health, Environment and Nature (GMN), Zita Jesus-Leito will be completed at the end of October this year.
She said this this month to reporter Pepijn Keppel of the news site Follow the Money (FtM). Keppel does not believe the minister, according to the further report.
Jesus-Leito states in the article: ,, The competent authorities of the Curaçao government are aware of the fact that the CIMC Gretha, as a result of changed weather conditions, was involved in an accident that caused damage to the coral reefs. The harbor master (of Curaçao Ports Authority) and the Meteorological Service (Meteo) have conducted preliminary investigations into the cause of the accident.” She expects to complete her investigation by the end of October, the story said. After that, "legal advice is sought on the possible next steps".
FtM finds that contradicts what the authorities stated earlier, namely that the investigations have already been completed. Officials also confirm to FtM that no (preliminary) investigation is currently being carried out. “After Carmabi's investigation, which was carried out on behalf of the GMN ministry, they say no action has been taken. Former minister Camelia-Römer, minister of GMN at the time of the accident, also tells FtM that the government investigation has been completed. She is clear about the cause of the incident: "My position on this is that the ship should be held responsible," the report said.
FtM devotes a lengthy article to the incident that looks back at length on the damage CIMC caused to Gretha a year ago in September 2019 that damaged an area of 2,430 square meters of coral reef at Boka Samí. Under the flag of the Marshall Islands, the mobile oil platform has recently been operated by Singaporean offshore company Posh and is nearly 138 meters long, 81 meters wide and weighs 55,700 tons.
“The economic damage is estimated at over 350,000 euros, the environmental damage is irreversible. After that it remains quiet. Curaçao politicians stick their heads in the snow-white sand. A reconstruction of a covered environmental disaster,” the article begins. On September 25, a sudden storm arose at the Sint Michielsbaai.
“During the storm the platform drifts; it sets course for the coast and rams the coral reef. Then the crew turns on the engines and sails back to the old spot,” that is how the incident is described.
The owners of the CIMC Gretha deny everything. FtM has requested data from the "Automatic Identifications System," data about the speed, course and location of a ship. “It shows that the CIMC Gretha suddenly starts moving between 9.00 pm and 9.08 pm and crashes onto the coral reef in Sint Michielsbaai. More than twenty minutes later, the ship is back at its original location.”
