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Victim of a fire, the "Great America" ​​sank Tuesday, March 12 off La Rochelle, in the Bay of Biscay (French Atlantic coast). LOIC BERNARDIN / NATIONAL NAVY / AFP

The Italian ship sank Tuesday, March 12 off La Rochelle, in the west of France. It carries in its bunkers 365 containers, including 45 of hazardous materials and 2,200 tons of heavy fuel oil, according to the maritime prefecture.

Almost ten years after the historic sinking of the Erika off the coast of Brittany, is a new drama being played out a stone's throw to the south? Sunday, March 10 afternoon, the ship Grande America , which beats the Italian flag, sails in the Atlantic Ocean when a fire is triggered on board and a large column of smoke escapes from the back of the boat. Tuesday, while it is about 330 km west of the port of La Rochelle, it sinks.

" [#GrandeAmerica] Tuesday, March 12 at 15:26 the Italian ship #GrandeAmerica sank at 4600 meters bottom, about 180 nautical miles (333km) west of the French coast. @SGMer @NationalMarine , tweeted the Maritime prefecture of the Atlantic (@premaratlant).

[#GreatAmerica] The #GreatAmerica had a fire since March 10 in the evening, the violence has escalated during the last 24 hours. The ship had a steep incline on its right side which became worse over time. @sgmer @NationalMarine pic.twitter.com/vsDPjrVPbC

Premar Atlantic (@premaratlant) March 12, 2019

Is the prospect of an oil spill considered? " At the moment the possible risk of pollution is mainly constituted by the 2,200 tons of heavy fuel oil which are inside the building ", explained the maritime prefect Jean-Louis Lozier during a press conference in Brest Wednesday. " With westerly winds varying from west-southwest to west-northwest, the impacted area (by a possible release of heavy fuel oil, ed) would be the facade between the Charente-Maritime and the Gironde in several days He said, assuring however that for the moment no pollution had been detected.

The pollution potential inside the ro-ro container carrier is not the least: " The shipowner's data lists 365 containers, 45 of which are listed as containing hazardous materials and just over 2,000 vehicles. In addition to this cargo, the ship's bunkers contain approximately 2,200 tonnes of heavy fuel oil, which served as navigation fuel for the ship. "

The 27 passengers were evacuated in the night from Sunday to Monday, but the fire could not be controlled.

→ Read the case of the sinking of oil tanker Erika in 1999 and the unprecedented lawsuit: click here