Relief as Royal Oak work begins at last
(From The Orcadian dated February 15, 2001)

An image of HMS Royal Oak lying upturned on the bottom of Scapa Flow. The warship was sunk by a German U-boat in October, 1939, just weeks after the outbreak of World War Two.

Work on removing the oil from the wreck of the World War Two warship HMS Royal Oak finally began this week - an operation expected to be completed by the end of September.

Using a technique known a hot-tapping, a Royal Navy team will drill holes into the hull of the ship - which lies 25 metres beneath the surface of Scapa Flow - and then pump out the oil which will be taken to the Flotta oil terminal.

Phase one of the operation was under way this week, much to the relief of Orkney Islands Council who have been critical about the time the authorities have taken to get on with the job.

The oil slick and its threat to the local environment has been the subject of mounting concern in the county.

The initial five-week project will see around 100 tonnes of oil removed from a leaking area under the ship's boiler room, but there could be up to 1,800 tonnes of oil inside the wreck and in late July work is due to begin to remove the rest of the oil (around 1,500 tonnes) from the remaining tanks and spaces that are accessible. This second phase is expected to be completed by the end of September.

Junior Defence Minister Dr Lewis Moonie was in Orkney yesterday to see for himself the plans to recover oil from the warship, sunk by a German U-boat in 1939 with the loss of 833 lives.

The warship is a designated war grave and during his visit, Dr Moonie launched a three-month consultation document that seeks views on the protection of wrecked military vessels which sank with loss of life.

Stating that the days of the wrecker had passed, Dr Moonie said war graves should remain undisturbed and protected and that diving on any other wreck should be unobtrusive.

"It is abhorrent that human remains in war graves are disturbed unless there is overriding imperatives of marine or environmental safety," he said.

Speaking yesterday, OIC convener Councillor Hugh Halcro-Johnston said he was pleased that the work on the Royal Oak had started.

"I am delighted that at long last work has seriously started to remove the oil from the Royal Oak," he said. "I welcome the first visit by a Minister from the Ministry of Defence in connection with the project and the assurances given by the Minister that all work will be undertaken sensitively and carefully to avoid any damage to our valuable environment."