Oil spill near Butinge does not pose any danger to the environment, Lithuanian authorities say

An oil spill that was spotted near Butinge oil terminal on Monday does not pose any danger to the environment, Jouzas Karalavicius from Lithuanian Maritime Safety Administration told HELCOM today.

He said the slick which was according to the preliminary reports approximately one kilometer long and 200 meters wide completely disappeared on Tuesday. Obviously the film was very thin, said Karalavicius.

Lithuanian authorities used an airplane to survey the area, and found no traces of the spill. There is absolutely no danger to the shores, said Karalavicius.

He could not immediately confirm the source of the oil spill, although admitted that it could be a result of a deliberate discharge from a ship.