Finland has completed the first phase of the oil recovery campaign from the wreck of the coastal defense ship Ilmarinen, the ship that sank in World War II at the bottom of the Baltic Sea, thereby helping to significantly reduce the risk of environmental pollution.
According to a statement from the Finnish Ministry of Environment on July 31 (local time), about 60,000 liters of oil were pumped out of the ship's fuel tanks during the operation taking place from July 14 - 24. The operation was coordinated by the Finnish Institute of Environment and the Finnish Navy, with the support of the Border Guard and the Diving Medical Center of the Finnish Self-Defense Forces.
Despite achieving significant results, officials said that there are still about 40,000 liters of oil trapped inside the wreck. The recovery work will continue to be implemented in 2027 to completely eliminate the risk of fuel leakage into the environment.
The Ilmarinen sank in September 1941 after being hit by a naval mine in the northern Baltic Sea area during World War II. For many years, the wreckage has been classified as a group of sunken ships that are at risk of marine environmental pollution because there is still a large amount of fuel inside.
According to the Finnish Navy, the oil recovery operation faces many challenges because the wreck is located at a depth of 60-80m underwater. Working conditions at high depths require strict safety procedures for equipment, diving operations and support work at sea.
Finnish Minister of Climate and Environment Sari Multala said that after the recent recall, the risk posed by the Ilmarinen wreck to the Baltic Sea ecosystem has decreased significantly.
Thanks to this operation, the wreck of the Ilmarinen currently poses a much lower risk to the Baltic Sea environment. It is important to complete the recovery of all remaining oil," Ms. Multala emphasized.
The Baltic Sea is a closed sea with a sensitive ecosystem, where recovery from pollution incidents is very slow. Environmental experts have long warned that hundreds of shipwrecks from World War I and World War II still contain fuel and hazardous substances, which can become a source of prolonged pollution if eroded over time.
The removal of oil from the wreck of the Ilmarinen is considered one of the efforts to minimize long-term environmental risks to the Baltic Sea and coastal countries.
