Brazil sinks ‘toxic’ warship carrying asbestos

The Brazilian Navy has scuttled a decommissioned aircraft carrier, despite protests amid concerns that the ship was filled with toxic materials including asbestos.

In a joint statement with the country’s attorney general and Ministry of Defense, the navy confirmed that the ‘planned and controlled sinking’ of the vessel São Paulo took place on Friday (3 February 2023) in the Atlantic Ocean, around 350km off the Brazilian coast. The water depth in the area is around 5km, the navy says.

The sinking position was selected because it lies within the Exclusive Economic Zone of Brazil but outside any environmentally protected areas.

The decision to scuttle the carrier, which was built in the late 1950s in France, came after authorities claim they could not locate a port willing to accept it due to the ‘high risk’ of materials on board, and the degradation is so severe that repairs are impossible.

The 266-metre aircraft carrier, which sailed in the French navy as Foch for decades, was sold to Brazil in 2000 for $12m. A fire broke out onboard in 2005, hastening the ship’s decline.

The navy says that it sank the ship in the ‘safest area’ possible to sink the vessel, while taking into consideration ‘the security of navigation and the environment’ and ‘the mitigation of the impacts on public health, fishing activities and ecosystems’.

However, the decision has been roundly criticised by environmental groups, which argue the toxins on board the ship pose a risk to the marine food chain.

The São Paulo is an 870-foot, 34,000-ton aircraft carrier, will be sunk after a deal to sell it to Türkiye fell through.

Environmentalists are upset that Lula would sink the ship with environmental concerns because of asbestos.

Brazil no longer operates aircraft carriers. pic.twitter.com/9O06RIypvZ

— Bo Mbindwane (@mbindwane) February 4, 2023

Local media reported that a last-minute legal attempt to halt the sinking by environmentalists was blocked by a judge, who said an “unplanned” sinking could end up being more damaging to ecosystems than a “controlled” scuttling of the country’s former flagship.

‘In view of the facts presented and the growing risk involved in the towing task, due to the deterioration of the hull’s buoyancy conditions and the inevitability of spontaneous/uncontrolled sinking, it is not possible to adopt any other course of action other than jettisoning the hull, through the planned and controlled sinking,’ the joint statement reads.

Last year, the Turkish firm Sok Denizcilik was commissioned by Brazil to dismantle São Paulo for scrap. However, Turkish environmental authorities blocked the vessel from entering the Mediterranean Sea shortly before its arrival via tugboat.

Brazil later purchased the ship back but has chosen not to allow it into port due to the environmental risk it poses to Brazilian waters.