Rough sea force team to return, ship inspection tomorrow

A three-member team of central government, which had gone to inspect the ship, allegedly carrying hazardous toxic and radioactive substance, returned from mid-way due to the rough sea today, Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) officials said here.

The team will go for inspection of the ship, which had come from the US and anchored off the Alang port, tomorrow early morning, the officials said.

"We set off at around 1430 hours but had to return mid-way as the sea was very rough today. We will go for inspection tomorrow early morning around 4.30am," one of the members of the central team Dr SA Hussain, head of the Radiology safety division of AERB (Atomic Enegry Regulatory Board), told PTI.

Besides Hussain, the team includes a senior officer from the ministry of environment.

According to GMB officials, the ship Platinum II is anchored near Gopnath, some 40 nautical miles from Alang coast.

The central team is here as part of the inquiry ordered by Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh last week after Indian Platform on Ship-breaking (IPOS), an NGO, alleged Platinum-II was loaded with toxic polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contaminated material, asbestos as part of its construction along with radioactive substances.