Hundreds of small plastic containers full of American breakfast cereal have been found along an 800-kilometer-long stretch of Norway’s long coast line. Now the US Navy had admitted to losing a load of the cereal while transferring it between ships in the convoy around its aircraft carrier the Harry S Truman.
The huge vessel visited Oslo late last autumn, the third in a row of NATO allies’ aircraft carriers that have been participating in joint naval exercises and helping to protect Norwegian offshore oil and gas facilities in the North Sea. A naval official told newspaper Aftenposten that the Truman’s support vessels, however, suffered a mishap when several pallets full of breakfast food fell into the sea during a transfer from a supply ship.
Naval spokesman Tim Gorman apologized and claimed the US Navy strives to protect the environment in areas it visits. “At least they admitted it,” said Truls Gulowsen, leader of Norway’s chapter of Friends of the Earth (Naturvernforbundet). “Now they should follow up and take responsibility for cleaning up.”
The Navy didn’t answer, though, whether they would help collect all the containers of Cheerios, Raisin Bran and other brands of American cereals that have been found in more than 10 locations along the coast from Sørlandet up to Vestlandet. Nor was there any word over whether sailors on board went hungry, but the US Navy will more than likely be welcomed back at a time when Norway is scrambling to boost its defense.
NewsinEnglish.no staff
