Α small tanker sank in the Saronic Gulf last Sunday, causing an oil slick that has been difficult to contain.
The vessel, Agia Zoni II, built in 1972 was carrying 2,200 tons of fuel oil and 370 tons of marine gas; it went down near the island of Salamina, dumping its content to the waters.
The oil sick expanded from Salamina to the broader Saronic gulf area, contaminating several beaches on the southern suburbs of Athens, like the one in Agios Kosmas, near the old Athens airport.
The authorities have been trying to break-up and collect the heavy fuel, with vessels dispatched both to the sea area and the contaminated beaches, but had little success, leading to severe criticism on the delay and initial inaction which prevented a better outcome.
According to the mayor of Salamina, Isidora Nannou-Papathanasiou, the environmental and economic damage to the island is immense and the manpower allocated to dealing with the issue was not nearly enough.