U-864 lifting is technically possible - now a decision on lifting by responsible politicians remains.
The Norwegian Environmental Protection Association has been in favor of raising it all the time since U-864 was found in 2003. After this, the Norwegian Coastal Administration has come up with thousands of pages of reports, which have cost the consulting companies millions. What remains now is for expert communities with real expertise to create a concept that involves raising the wreck with all the mercury, all loose bottles and cleaning the seabed.
Then it is also important that the scaremongering about the dangers of mercury is put aside. It is not dangerous to be near metallic mercury in the sea or on land. The most dangerous thing is a cover-up, because professional expertise on mercury knows that sooner or later it will leak into the seawater and create methylmercury, which ends up in the food chain, and eventually ends up on our dinner table. Full clean-up ensures the environment and health for eternity.
The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency has laid down some important principles for U-864, without taking into account the choice of technology, lifting method, dredging method etc.
- All mercury that can be found in the wreck area is removed from the marine environment.
- Lifting of the two large pieces of wreckage with protection against leakage of the mercury in the cargo keel.
- Leaked mercury under the wreckage/keel is dug up.
- Contaminated seabed (where the mercury from 1945 landed) is excavated and removed from the marine environment.
- Mercury bottles that fell out of the cargo keel during the torpedoing are located and dug up.
General principle of the operation:
Minimum possible spread of contaminated seabed and metallic mercury to the environment.
To bring up 99% or to let 100% lay?