Cyprus monitoring Syria oil spill in Mediterranean

NICOSIA — Cypriot authorities said on Monday they were monitoring an oil spill from a power plant on Syria's Mediterranean coast, as a Syrian official said Damascus was probing its cause.

A fuel oil leak at the Baniyas power plant was first reported last week, and Syrian state media said the leak was an accident.

Cypriot authorities said the slick was expected to reach the north of the divided island on Tuesday.

The size of the leak ranges from two to four tonnes of fuel, Syria's electricity minister told the pro-government Al Watan newspaper on Monday, adding that a committee had been formed to investigate the cause.

Initial satellite imagery showed an oil sheen 36 kilometres  long but newer imagery shows that the spill is larger than anticipated and is reaching deeper into Mediterranean.

Cyprus said satellite imagery from the European Maritime Safety Agency showed the existence of a "possible oil spill" between the island and Syria.

Modelling and meteorological data showed it is expected to "affect the Cape of Apostolos Andreas [at the northern tip of Cyprus] in the next 24 hours", the fisheries department said in a statement.

Steps had been taken to inform authorities in the north of the island, the department said, adding that "the Republic of Cyprus is ready to respond and provide assistance if requested".

It said the slick appeared to be "oil sheen" rather than crude oil.

“Based on the National Emergency Plan for dealing with marine pollution from petroleum products, the Reaction Team met at the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre to assess all data to take action,” it added.

Cyprus, an island in the eastern Mediterranean, has been divided since 1974.

The Republic of Cyprus, whose overwhelming majority are Greek Cypriots and which has been a European Union member since 2004, has effective control over the southern two-thirds of the island.

Only Ankara recognises the breakaway self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.