Race Against Time to Prevent Oil Spill on Cape Town's Coast

A salvage team aims to pump 500 tons of fuel off the Panama-flagged 'Ultra Galaxy,' which ran aground on South Africa's west coast. Rescued Filipino crew members abandoned the ship safely. The salvage effort, spearheaded by U.S.-based Resolve Marine, aims to commence operations before the weather worsens.

A salvage team is preparing to pump 500 tons of fuel off the 'Ultra Galaxy,' a Panama-flagged ship that ran aground on Cape Town's coast. The ship's 18-strong Filipino crew was safely rescued after abandoning ship on July 8.

Authorities fear an impending weather change may hinder the effort. 'This weather turns at the weekend, and we are hoping to beat the weather window,' said Sobantu Tilayi, chief operations officer at the South African Maritime Safety Authority.

The U.S.-based salvage company, Resolve Marine, has readied a platform to start the pumping operation. 'The ship remains structurally intact, reducing the immediate risk of an oil spill,' Tilayi added.