The worst memories of crude oil and the wreck of the ‘Prestige’ came to the minds of all Ibizans when the sand of Talamanca beach was suddenly covered with a forty centimetre strip of fuel.  Fortunately, the comparatively small quantity of leaked fuel and the rapid response by the public institutions, have limited the damage sustained.  The crew of the ‘Don Pedro’, which was swallowed by the sea, were all rescued unscathed but having suffered a serious fright.

SEE GALLERY

Still nobody can explain what the captain of the ‘Don Pedro’ was thinking at that moment.  Nobody understands how he could have crashed into the Dau Gros (a small islet in Ibiza’s bay), how he didn’t see the light signal that crowns the rock and why he didn’t veer to starboard when he sailed out of the harbour.  This succession of unfortunate events led to the sinking of the 140 metre cargo ship, less than a mile off the coast of Ibiza.
The leakage of a small quantity of fuel from the ship’s tanks caused an exaggerated state of alarm on the island.  Fortunately, it was just a scare.  The ship’s diesel tanks, 40 metres deep, were rapidly sealed and, despite a few days of bathing prohibition on the beaches of Talamanca, Figueretas and Playa d’en Bossa, there was no important damage to lament, just a few oil slicks which were cleaned up virtually immediately.  Don’t worry, the beaches are still in a state of excellent health and there is no threat to tourists nor to tourism.