The Minerva Helen, a Greek-owned crude oil tanker, is suspected of being responsible for the massive oil spill that has polluted the majority of Israel’s beaches in what is believed to be the worst ecological disaster in Israel’s history, Kan News reported.

The tanker, currently anchored off Cartagena in Spain, was involved in a previous major oil spill off of Copenhagen, Denmark, in January 2008.

Following petitions by a number of media organizations, the Haifa Magistrates Court on Tuesday revoked the seven-day gag order it had approved at the request of the Environmental Protection Ministry on Monday.

כך היא נראתה באותם ימים. לא ברור מה רמת התחזוקה של המכלית, הנמצאת בבעלות יוונית, כיום pic.twitter.com/OCFMgnRZgC

— אינטלי טיימס – إنتل تايمز – Intelli Times (@IntelliTimes) February 23, 2021

However, the judge banned the media from publishing details of the investigation until February 28.

Also on Tuesday, the government approved NIS 45 million ($13.8 million) for a massive cleanup operation of Israel’s Mediterranean beaches, which are severely polluted with tons of tar across more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) of coastline.

Israelis have been instructed to keep away from the country’s beaches along the Mediterranean coast, from the north to the south.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)