Fedje, Bergen, Norway: 25. March 2007

Submarine U-864 containing 65 tons of Mercury, and is likely to contaminate big areas of the norwegian coastline.
The norwegian government lead by prime minister Jens Stoltenberg have decided to cover two parts of U-864 under 50 cm olivine sand and 20 cm gravel.

═ One part of U-864 is still missing.

Reports regarding raising and covering the submarine, says that covering is most secure in a short perspective regarding the risk of Mercury contamination of the marine environment.══ In a long term, covering is critical in several respects:
*More rapid corrosion of the Mercury containers.
*Problems of collapsing of the wreck because of the weight of the cover.
*Risk of explosion of torpedos and compressed air tanks, with the result of breakout of Mercury containers, and heavy pollution.
*Problems in collecting the Mercury containers at a later stage.

*Unstability in the ground caused by earth quakes may brake the cover.

*No guarantee of monitoring the poison bomb over a long time span/forever.

The government says that it is possible to collect the Mercury at a later stage, they also points at the risk of raising a wreck containing explosives.

Smit Salvage, the company that lifted Kursk (9000 tons)from the Barents Sea, did a lift of a similar submarine to U-864, secured the explosives, and put the ship on a museum.══ The submarine was very well preserved inside because og leak of hydraulic oil.══ Smit Salvage says in a report about U-864 that the sunken parts of the ship, laying on 150 metres, is in a good condition for lifting.═ Even if some of the Mercury should leak out under a lifting operation, it is easy to catch the pollution before it spreads in the environment.══ One of the most experienced Marine Rescue Companies in the area, Georg Eide, says that they have a completely secure technology to lift the submarine with no damage to the environment, and low risk of explosions from the missiles in U-864.

The people in Fedje community wants to get U-864 up from the sea.═ All environmental organizations in Norway agree that the best solution for U-864 is to lift it up, and take control over the Mercury.

One problem that the government is forgetting, is that the middle part of U-864 is not located, and is estimated to contain about 17 tons of Mercury. A cover of the front and the back of U-864 will not solve the problem with the missing Mercury.

It is not a question of money, it╢s all about the future for the coast people in Norway, and the health of anyone that eat fish from the area, says Kurt Oddekalv, president of Green Warriors of Norway, an environmental organisation with it╢s headquarter in Bergen.

Now the norwegian government have taken a wrong and hasty decision, instead of investigating the possibilities of raising the submarine in a secure way.
Norway have the best subsea engineering companies and qualifications, close to where the wreck is located, and is perfectly able to manage a secure operation.

The people of Fedje, Norwegian Fisheries and environmental organisations in Norway strongly demand the government of Norway to decide to lift U-864 and take control over 65 tons of Mercury.

Links: Green Warriors of Norway══ http://www.greenwarriors.com

Action organisation for lifing U-864═ http://www.hev-u864.com

Submarine webpage on U-864════ http://www.uboat.net/boats/u864.htm

Info about Minimata Disease caused by Mercury http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minamata_disease

Contact person: Kurt Oddekalv, president Green Warriors of Norway.
mail: kurt@nmf.no════ Tel: +47 90 89 22 68

http://www.greenwarriors.com

═