Oil removal from coastal defence ship Ilmarinen’s wreck begins – operation to be left undisturbed

During the World War II, the coastal defence ship Ilmarinen sank off the island of Utö. The oil in Ilmarinen’s fuel tanks is a risk to the delicate and vulnerable Baltic Sea. The wreck is estimated to contain about 100,000 litres of light fuel oil.

The Finnish Environment Institute, the Finnish Navy and the Finnish Border Guard will start to remove oil from the wreck this week. The goal is to remove oil from the wreck’s tanks safely and in a controlled manner. The work is carried out by Navy divers, supported by the Finnish Navy's multipurpose vessel Louhi, which is equipped for oil spill response.

The operation has been planned and practiced in recent years. The task is demanding, as the wreck lies in deep water in a location exposed to rough seas. The authorities are also prepared for possible oil spill response tasks in connection with the operation.

In the investigations of the wreck and in the planning and execution of the oil removal, particular attention has also been paid to the sanctity of the grave, as the wreck of Ilmarinen is also the final resting place of the 271 marines who lost their lives in the accident.

To ensure a safe and effective operation, we ask the media and the public to respect the operational area and allow the operation to proceed without disruption. More information about the operation and its results will be provided after the operation has been completed, around the turn of July and August.

The Ministry of the Environment is funding the operation from the Ahti programme (2023–2027) aimed at improving the state of waters and the sea. The Finnish Environment Institute coordinates the oil removal and the monitoring of risk wrecks in Finland’s marine areas.