Environment

British yacht denounced for posidonia anchoring

The SASPA in Portocolom. | Salvem Portocolom

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterFelanitx21/08/2018 00:00

Local pressure group Salvem Portocolom is in the process of denouncing a yacht flying a British flag, said to be of forty metres length*, for having anchored on Monday in an area of posidonia sea grass. The SASPA, says the group, caused serious damage to posidonia. A video that was taken showed the anchor pulling out posidonia.

Members of the group informed the yacht's owner that the yacht should move away towards Cala d'Or, but it remained where it was "for several hours". The group adds that the fact that the yacht was inside the port's channel should not have meant that it was ignored by posidonia surveillance vessels. Salvem Portocolom argues that current surveillance measures are inadequate.

The group also explains that as a port of refuge, with sea and wind conditions as they were on Monday, only smaller boats should be entering and not ones of the size and power of SASPA.

The 112 emergency service was advised of the yacht's presence and of two other yachts. They and their anchors were also filmed.

* SASPA is in fact 27 metres long.