Pumping of Remaining Erika Fuel Set To Begin

The first of five pollution-fighting vessels was to arrive in the French port of Brest on Monday to prepare to pump out tons of viscous fuel oil still lying in the hold of the sunken tanker Erika.

TotalFinaElf is bringing in the vessels as part of a massive clean-up program after the Erika, the Maltese-registered tanker it contracted to transport 25,000 tons of thick fuel oil, broke up and sank last December.

As part of a clean-up operation costing the company about $70 million, TotalFinaElf is now starting work on removing the oil still lying in the hull of the sunken tanker.