A FLOTILLA of boats protesting plans for a fracking survey on the Costa del Sol has been backed by Greenpeace and the Junta de Andalucia.
The protest, on Sunday, 19 October 2014, will see hundreds of boats set off from Fuengirola port, protesting Repsol’s plans to begin exploratory drilling for natural gas off Mijas Costa, as early as February 2015.
The ‘Siroco’ project aims to drill wells 1,600m deep, just 12km southwest of Fuengirola.
This is despite Junta Tourism Minister Rafael Rodriguez insisting the venture is ‘incompatible’ with tourism development on the Costa del Sol.
If the project is a success, opponents fear it could pave the way for more fracking in the future.
Fracking is a highly controversial topic, with environmentalists insisting the science surrounding the extraction process is unproven and dangerous.
They say the process can cause small tremors, which risk releasing carcinogenic chemicals into the surrounding waters.
Rodriguez has now met with the umbrella group organizing the protest and given his support for the action.
The minister has also vowed to take the matter to Madrid’s tourist commission to try and get the project scrapped.
Vessels will leave from various ports on the coast but the main body will depart from Fuengirola’s port at 10am on October 19 and sail to the Mijas coastline affected, roughly 8.5km from the Punta de Calaburras.
Anyone looking to participate should contact: 616636108
