Oil rig Is false alarm

 EXPLORATION for oil and gas off the coast of the Costa del Sol has not started despite sightings of a drilling rig.

Passers-by and fishermen spotted the large sea platform sail along the coast of Mijas, near the Calaburras lighthouse.

As the station moved slowly past some people wondered if plans to drill for oil and gas off the Costa del Sol had started without Central Government’s permission.

But fuel company Repsol explained that the Sedco Express platform from company Transocean was just heading towards Las Palmas (Canary Islands).

The Ministry of Industry has said that if permission is granted exploratory drilling would be performed during a period of 29 days between February and April, so as not to affect the tourism peak season and fishermen’s close season.

Earlier this month, a group of Mijas residents protested against the plans, as they believe that having gas or oil rigs just nine kilometres from the coast will be damaging for tourism, the environment and the fishing industry.