“바다에 번진 은빛 유막, 드론이 잡았다”…완도해경, 기름 유출 어선 신속 적발

드론으로 기름유출 어선 적발 / 사진제공=완도해양경찰서

[완도=해남뉴스] haenamnews@kakao.com
완도항 인근 해상에 기름을 유출한 어선이 해양경찰의 드론 추적을 통해 신속하게 적발됐다.

특히 해경은 신고 접수 직후 드론을 띄워 해상에 퍼진 유막의 범위와 확산 방향을 파악하고 기름이 집중된 해역을 역추적해 원인 선박을 특정하는 등 첨단장비를 활용한 해양오염 대응에 나섰다.

완도해양경찰서(서장 김태환)는 지난 7일 오전 10시49분께 전남광주 완도군 완도항 수협위판장 인근 해상에 기름을 유출한 어선을 드론을 활용해 적발하고 긴급 방제조치를 완료했다고 8일 밝혔다.

해경에 따르면 이날 오전 10시49분께 완도항 수협위판장 인근 해상에 은빛 유막이 형성돼 있다는 신고가 접수됐다.

현장을 확인한 결과 수협위판장 해조류센터 인근 해상에서 가로 약 2m, 세로 약 30m 규모의 엷은 유막 3곳​이 발견됐다.

완도해경은 신고를 접수한 즉시 해양오염방제과와 완도파출소, 방제정 등을 현장에 투입했다.

이와 함께 드론을 띄워 상공에서 오염 범위와 유막의 확산 방향을 확인하고 기름이 상대적으로 많이 모여 있는 해역을 중심으로 유출 경로를 추적했다.

드론을 활용한 추적 결과 해경은 기름을 유출한 것으로 의심되는 어선을 신속하게 특정했다.

현장에 도착한 연안구조정은 해상에 형성된 유막에 대한 분산 조치를 실시하는 한편 추가적인 기름 유출을 막기 위한 조치도 병행했다.
해경은 오전 11시15분께 현장 방제조치를 마무리했다. 신고가 접수된 지 26분 만이다.

해경은 해상에 유출된 기름의 시료도 채취해 분석에 들어갔다.
현재까지 조사 결과 해당 어선은 계류장소를 옮기는 과정에서 조타실 스위치를 잘못 조작한 것으로 추정되고 있다.

이 과정에서 기관실에 설치된 펌프가 작동하면서 기름이 섞인 폐수가 해상으로 유출된 것으로 해경은 보고 있다.

완도해경은 해당 어선 관계자를 상대로 당시 운항 및 장비 조작 상황 등을 확인하는 한편 정확한 기름 유출 경위와 유출량, 과실 여부 등을 면밀히 조사할 방침이다.

해양오염 사고는 기름이 바람과 조류를 따라 빠르게 확산할 수 있다는 점에서 사고 초기 오염 범위를 파악하고 유출원을 신속하게 찾아내는 것이 피해 확산을 막는 핵심으로 꼽힌다.

이번 사고에서는 드론을 활용한 상공 관측이 해상에서 육안으로 확인하기 어려운 유막의 분포와 이동 방향을 신속하게 파악하고 원인 선박을 특정하는 데 활용됐다.

박창용 완도해경 해양오염방제과장은 “해양오염은 바람과 조류를 따라 빠르게 확산할 수 있어 신속한 초동대응이 무엇보다 중요하다”며 “앞으로도 드론 등 장비를 적극 활용해 깨끗한 해양환경을 지키는 데 최선을 다하겠다.”고 말했다.




“Silver Oil Sheen Spotted at Sea, Drone Tracks Down Source Vessel”…Wando Coast Guard Swiftly Identifies Fishing Boat Behind Oil Spill
Three thin oil slicks, each approximately 2 meters wide and 30 meters long, discovered near Wando Port Fisheries Cooperative Fish Market
Coast Guard immediately deploys pollution-control vessel and coastal rescue boat, while drone tracks extent and direction of spill
Drone traces oil concentration back to suspected vessel…Emergency cleanup completed just 26 minutes after report
Spill believed to have occurred after crew accidentally operated a wheelhouse switch while relocating the vessel
Oily wastewater discharged into sea after engine-room pump was inadvertently activated
Coast Guard collects oil samples for analysis and investigates exact volume of spill and possible negligence
Park Chang-yong: “We will actively utilize drones and other equipment to protect our clean marine environment”
[Wando=Haenam News] haenamnews@kakao.com
A fishing boat suspected of discharging oil into waters near Wando Port was swiftly identified after the Korea Coast Guard used a drone to trace the source of the spill.
Immediately after receiving the report, the Coast Guard deployed a drone to determine the extent of the oil slick and its direction of spread. By tracing the area where the oil was most heavily concentrated, authorities were able to quickly identify the vessel believed to be responsible.
The Wando Coast Guard Station, headed by Chief Kim Tae-hwan, said on Sept. 8 that it had identified a fishing boat suspected of discharging oil into waters near the Fisheries Cooperative Fish Market at Wando Port the previous day and completed emergency cleanup operations.
According to the Coast Guard, a report was received at approximately 10:49 a.m. on Sept. 7 regarding a silver-colored oil sheen on the water near the fish market at Wando Port.
Upon arriving at the scene, authorities discovered three thin oil slicks near the seaweed center adjacent to the fish market, each measuring approximately 2 meters wide and 30 meters long.
The Wando Coast Guard immediately dispatched personnel from its Marine Pollution Response Division and Wando Police Substation, along with a pollution-control vessel, to the scene.
At the same time, a drone was deployed to survey the affected waters from the air, allowing authorities to determine the extent of the contamination and the direction in which the oil slick was spreading.
Investigators then traced the spill by focusing on areas where the oil was more heavily concentrated.
Using information gathered from the drone, the Coast Guard was able to quickly identify the fishing boat suspected of causing the spill.
A coastal rescue boat arriving at the scene carried out measures to disperse the oil slick while also taking steps to prevent any further discharge.
The Coast Guard completed its emergency response at approximately 11:15 a.m., just 26 minutes after the initial report was received.
Authorities also collected samples of the oil discharged into the sea and began analyzing them.
Based on the preliminary investigation, the Coast Guard believes that the fishing boat was in the process of relocating to another mooring location when a switch in the wheelhouse was accidentally operated.
The mistaken operation reportedly activated a pump installed in the engine room, causing wastewater mixed with oil to be discharged into the sea.
The Wando Coast Guard plans to question those involved to determine the vessel’s operating conditions and equipment handling at the time of the incident. It will also investigate the exact cause and volume of the spill, as well as whether negligence was involved.
Marine oil spills can spread rapidly depending on wind and tidal currents, making it critical to identify the extent and source of contamination as quickly as possible during the initial response.
In this case, aerial surveillance using a drone enabled the Coast Guard to rapidly assess the distribution and movement of the oil slick, which can be difficult to determine from the surface, and helped authorities trace the pollution back to the suspected vessel.
“Marine pollution can spread rapidly with winds and tidal currents, so a swift initial response is of utmost importance,” said Park Chang-yong, head of the Wando Coast Guard’s Marine Pollution Response Division.
“We will continue to actively utilize drones and other equipment to protect and preserve our clean marine environment,” Park said.