This is the story of a slow agony. Brazilian authorities have decided to sink the former aircraft carrier Foch in the Atlantic, a statement from the Brazilian Navy and Ministry of Defense said on Wednesday (February 1st). The flagship of the French navy, transferred in 2000 under the Brazilian flag, has long wandered at sea in search of a port of refuge.
“Faced with the risks involved in towing and because of the deterioration of the waterline (…) the only solution is to abandon the hull by sinking it in a controlled manner”, they explained. According to the authorities, given his condition, “a spontaneous shipwreck” of the hull was inevitable in the long term.
The decision is highly controversial, with the old 266-meter-long hull being filled with asbestos, paint and other toxic waste, according to several environmental organizations.
A “toxic package of 30,000 tons”
Two weeks ago, the navy announced that it had taken the former aircraft carrier in tow in the Atlantic, 315 km from the Brazilian coast. She did not refuse her return to a port or to Brazilian territorial waters because of the deterioration of the ship, and the “high risk” what it represents for the environment.
Several NGOs then expressed their fear of seeing Brazil commit a “environmental crime”. The Robin des Bois association describes the former aircraft carrier as “toxic package of 30,000 tonnes”.