Enormous emissions of unknown substance were discovered in the Baltic Sea between Sweden and Finland
An enormous spill of a mysterious liquid has been found floating on the sea surface between Sweden and Finland, according to the Swedish Coast Guard.
The discharge extended over 33 sq miles (85 sq km) in the Gulf of Bothnia in the Baltic Sea, which separates the two countries.
Since the spill was discovered on Wednesday, samples have been taken to find out what the substance is and aircraft have been flown overhead to measure how far it has spread.
The Coast Guard said in a statement: “What the discharge consists of is still not clear, but it is not mineral oil, and there is currently no immediate threat of landslides.”
A preliminary investigation into environmental crimes has also been initiated.
The Coast Guard said: “It is being investigated, among other things, which ships have been in the area and what cargoes they have had.”
On Thursday, it said that the emissions were no longer visible and that emissions of substances other than oil had become more common recently.
Jonatan Tholin, head of the Coast Guard Inquiry, said in a statement: “New types of fuel are increasingly being transported to sea – biofuels, for example – and when they come in contact with water, they exhibit a wide variety of behaviors, which makes it more complicated to quickly determine which substance it is. “
The Coast Guard said they could not comment on what measures would be taken to manage the discharge until the analysis of the samples was completed next week.