Pollutants spilling into the sea from a boat that caught fire and sank last Sunday have been contained, the Ports Authority said on Friday.

It added that a tug and anti-pollution vessel were mobilised to intervene if the vessel drifted towards the marina.

“Taking into account the deterioration of the vessel’s condition and the increased possibility of sinking and causing pollution, the anti-pollution vessel Aella was activated as a precaution. After the ship sank, the tug VTS Ayia Marina was released from the operation and the vessel Aella proceeded to place anti-pollution barriers at the site of the wreck, to prevent possible marine pollution,” the authority explained.

The installation of the barriers was carried out “after the installation of the buoys was completed”.

“At the same time, all necessary actions were taken to combat and fully address the pollution observed on the sea surface, around the sinking point, thereby preventing the spread of pollutants in the marine area,” it added.

On Monday, the police said there was no evidence that the fire on the boat was started deliberately.

“There are no signs or testimonies indicating criminal activity at this stage,” the police said.

“Examinations are continuing to determine the exact cause.”

The fire erupted at midday on June 22, destroying a moored vessel at the marina. Andreas Kettis, spokesperson for the fire service, said the boat was completely engulfed in flames when responders arrived.

Marina staff managed to tow the burning vessel out to open waters, preventing the fire from spreading to nearby boats. The vessel, left adrift and without control, moved into shallow waters where firefighting support became limited.

A Port Authority tugboat equipped for fire response attempted to assist, but was unable to approach the scene. Instead, a smaller boat mobilised by the marina administration carried portable fire equipment and successfully extinguished the remaining flames on the charred hull.

The wreck was later moved to a secure location for further examination.

The fire service responded with two staffed fire engines dispatched from Larnaca stations. Despite the quick response, the remote position of the vessel and access challenges meant fire crews were limited in what they could do directly from land.

No injuries were reported and no other boats were damaged.