![['The Liberian-tagged ship\u2008Manolis L, which sank near Change Islands in 1985, poses an environmental risk, say residents of the area who fear failure of a recently installed cofferdam or high seas breaking up the ship could spill the more than 500 tonnes of fuel it contained when it went down. — Telegram file photo']](https://saltwire.imgix.net/manolis-l-2557970.jpg?cs=srgb&fit=crop&h=568&w=847&dpr=1&auto=format%2Ccompress%2Cenhance)
The federal government says the equivalent of 1,313 barrels of oil was successfully removed from the Manolis L shipwreck.
The bulk freighter, which sank in 1985, had been seeping oil into the waters of Notre Dame Bay off Change Islands since 2013 when cracks in the hull couple with a powerful storm allowed some fuel to reach the surface.
The federal government announced in April it had awarded a $15.1-million contract for the removal of bulk oil from the shipwreck, sitting 70 metres below the water’s surface. The contract was awarded to Ardent Global LLC. Pumping operations began in July. The Tidewater Enabler, a salvage vessel, pumped oil from the wreck.
During the bulk oil removal operation, 14 of the tanks onboard the Manolis L were pumped and flushed. The amount of oil recovered exceeded the estimate of 115,000 to 150,000 litres that was expected to be in the vessel.
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