Brazil Warship To Be Sunk After No Ports Will Take It: 30,000-Tonne 'Toxic' Decommissioned Aircraft Carrier

Brazil has decided to sink decommissioned aircraft with a damaged hull as the 34,000-ton, 870-foot Brazilian aircraft carrier Sao Paulo could not find takers. The said aircraft has been towed around the Atlantic for months despite serious damage, and environmentalists believed it contained toxic materials. With that, the decision drew criticism from the group.

Brazil is Towing the Now Decommissioned Warship Around the Atlantic

According to the story by SCMP, Brazil has been towing the warship for months around the Atlantic. The aircraft known as the Sao Paulo is six decades old and has long been decommissioned.

The navy and the defense ministry said they have been trying hard to look for a port that will accept the decommissioned warship. Per the departments, they have no choice but to "jettison it in a planned, controlled sinking due to the situation."

The Navy and Defense Ministry Said They Had No Choice

The navy and defense ministry decided to sink the old aircraft because of the "deteriorating buoyancy" and the "inevitability of a spontaneous, uncontrollable sinking." This leaves them no choice but to sink the warship before the worst can happen controllably.

However, the move was not supported, as environmentalists criticized the decision, saying the aircraft carrier had a lot of toxic materials. To be more specific, the critics noted that the warship was packed with asbestos, heavy metals, and some other toxic materials.

Environmentalists Criticize Their Decision to Sink the Ship

Environmentalists believed that sinking the aircraft carrier could result in marine food chain pollution, harming marine life. The materials could leach into the water and cause pollution.

Per @CovertShores on Twitter, an update was shared regarding the Sao Paulo warship. It was noted that the ship was supposed to make its way to Turkey for scrapping, but it could not get approved permission to do so.

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The Decommissioned Aircraft Carrier was Also an ex-French Navy Carrier Called Foch

The newly declared destination for the decommissioned aircraft carrier returned to Brazil. The tweet also revealed additional details about the warship and how another country previously used it.

Sao Paulo, an ex-Brazilian Navy Aircraft Carrier, was also an ex-French Navy carrier once known as Foch. The last part of the tweet revealed that it was supposed to be transported to Turkey, but it was denied.

Turkey Refused Entry of the Sao Paulo Over Asbestos Concerns

According to Maritime Executive, Turkey refused entry to Sao Paulo over concerns about asbestos. The article also mentioned how environmentalists believed it contained "a substantial amount" of asbestos and hazardous materials.

Robin des Bois, a French environmental group, described the ship as a literal toxic package weighing a whopping 30,000 tons. Basel Action Network's Jim Puckett also shared the risks to Brazil's navy if they decide to push through with their plan.

Puckett notes that if the navy pushes through, it will violate three international environmental treaty terms.