HELSINKI, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- Finland has launched an operation to remove oil from the coastal defense ship Ilmarinen, which sank 80 years ago. Starting Monday, the Navy's multipurpose vessel, Louhi, will conduct detailed investigations and assessments of the wreck until Sunday.

According to a press release from the Ministry of the Environment on Monday, the Ilmarinen sank on Sept. 13, 1941, after hitting a mine in the northern Baltic Sea. The ship now lies about 80 meters deep.

Its tanks contain an estimated 100,000 liters of light fuel oil, posing a significant threat to the marine environment, particularly the nearby Archipelago National Park. The risk of oil spills is a serious concern due to the region's winds and currents.

The upcoming week's operation will involve measuring the wreck's material thickness and capturing detailed images with divers and underwater robots.

Preliminary investigations conducted last August by the Finnish Environment Institute, the Finnish Border Guard, and the Finnish Heritage Agency revealed that while the wreck is relatively well-preserved, it shows significant corrosion and regular release of oil droplets.

"Removing the oil from Ilmarinen will protect the Baltic Sea by reducing the risk of oil spills from the wreck," said Kai Mykkanen, minister of the environment and climate change.

According to the minister, there are almost thirty shipwrecks in Finland's territorial waters currently posing environmental risks.

Previous attempts to find a contractor for the cleanup were unsuccessful due to a lack of suitable bids. The Ministry of the Environment will now oversee the cleanup as a governmental task, with plans to complete the oil removal by 2025. Enditem

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