Protest over Prestige captain’s jail spell

Date: 12/12/02

By Martin Banks

A GREEK MEP has protested at the detention of the captain of the sunken tanker Prestige.

Apostolos Mangouros, 67, has been held in a Spanish prison since 15 November. He is accused of disobeying the Spanish authorities and damaging the environment. His bail has been set at €3 million.

In a written parliamentary question to European Commission Vice-President Loyola de Palacio, deputy Emmanouil Bakopoulos has questioned the terms under which Greek Mangouros, a tanker master for 32 years, was jailed.

Bakopoulos, a member of the Group of European United Left/Nordic Green Left, said: "It appears he is being held following unsubstantiated claims that he disobeyed an order [from the Spanish] to accept a towing line for the sinking tanker."

The single hull of the ageing tanker cracked during fierce storms last month, spilling between 10,000 and 20,000 tonnes of its 77,000-tonne cargo off the Galician coast. French, Spanish and Portuguese governments refused to allow the ship to dock - it was towed out to sea but then broke apart.

Beaches on the Galician coastline have been covered by sludge, and the local fishing industry faces ruin - although the Commission has pledged compensation.

Bakopoulos, a member of Parliament's transport committee, said: "The mere fact that Mangouros stayed on board the stricken ship to assist the subsequent salvage operation is a testimony to his professionalism. He has been refused rights of visitation by investigators from the Bahamas [the flag state of the Prestige] who have not been able to speak to him.

"This has prompted an official protest from the Bahamian government."

A Greek MEP has protested at the detention of the captain of the sunken tanker Prestige. Apostolos Mangouros has been held in a Spanish prison since 15 November 2002, accused of disobeying the Spanish authorities and damaging the environment.