Pilots 'overruled three times' in tanker disaster

PILOTS on the supertanker Sea Empress three times recommended taking the vessel back out to sea after she went aground on the approach to Milford Haven harbour 10 days ago. But they were repeatedly overruled by those running the salvage operation, it was claimed yesterday.

Nicholas Ainger, Labour MP for Pembroke, yesterday laid the blame for the decisions squarely on officials of the Department of Transport. He said: "The rejection of local advice and expertise and lack of resources turned an accident on Thursday into a disaster on Monday night."

As oil from the ship's ruptured tanks continued to wash up on Welsh beaches and kill seabirds, Mr Ainger said: "You can't get any better than local knowledge. Some of these pilots have been operating there for 20 years. They know these waters intimately ... if their advice wasn't followed, no wonder we ended up with a disaster."

When the Sea Empress crashed into rocks near Milford Haven on the Pembrokeshire coast at 8.08pm on 15 February, a pilot was already on board. He suggested the best plan was to get the tanker out to sea. His suggestion was not taken up.

The following day, a second senior pilot who replaced him advised that if the cargo was trimmed, the supertanker could either be berthed at the disused Esso jetty nearby or he could take her out to sea. His advice was not taken and the Sea Empress was left to flounder at St Ann's Head.

The next afternoon, a third pilot told the Port Authorities he had successfully turned the supertanker around and was within 350ft of slipping her out to sea on the current. When he asked if he should follow this course, Captain Mark Andrews, the harbour master, said: "I agree with you, but I'm in a roomful of men saying no."

By Monday evening the tugs holding the Sea Empress at St Ann's Head had lost control of her in the fierce winds. She went careering a quarter of a mile down the coastline, spilling yet more oil, and hit a further set of rocks. It took salvors six days to bring her to berth at Milford Haven where yesterday another small tanker at last began to pump off her remaining oil.

Conservationists said yesterday that seabirds on Lundy Island in the Bristol channel, England's only marine nature reserve, are already suffering. About 200 have so far been rescued.

n Millions of tons of the "world's dirtiest fuel" are to be brought to Milford Haven by supertanker each year under plans going before the local county council on Tuesday. Scientists say a spill of the fuel, Orimulsion, would be far more dangerous than the slick from the Sea Empress.

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