A large quantity of oil leaked from the harbour basin into the Moselle River on Sunday evening. An oil barrier has been deployed to prevent the pollution from spreading further.
Shortly before 7pm on Sunday, the naval police in Trier had been alerted to significant pollution in the Moselle near Mertert. According to initial information, an oily substance, believed to be diesel, leaked from the harbour basin into the river.
According to the volunteer fire brigade from Konz, the pollution spread downstream as far as Oberbillig.
In the meantime, firefighters from Mertert installed an oil barrier at the entrance to the harbour to prevent the contamination from spreading further. As a result, the port is currently closed.
Authorities are still investigating exactly where the diesel leak originated and what caused it. The precise quantity of oil that entered the Moselle remains unknown.
Investigations are ongoing.
