Following a request from the Danish civil protection authorities, the EU on April 1 sent three experts from the European Task Force dealing with accidental marine pollution to Denmark on 1st April. The experts, two from France and one from the European Commission, are specialists in marine pollution.<P>Their task is to help the Danish authorities define the best means of minimising the impact of oil pollution from the 29th of March wreck of the Baltic Carrier, and to ensure the recovery of affected areas. It is hoped that the task force will be able to contribute the expertise gained from the huge pollution from the Erika accident in France in December 1999, where the pollutant heavy fuel oil was very similar to the Danish case.<P>The chemical tanker Baltic Carrier (built in 2000 and sailing under a Marshall Island flag), collided with the bulk carrier Tern (built in 1973, sailing under a Cyprus flag) on 29 March. No casualties were reported. The accident occurred in Danish territorial waters, approximately 100 km south of Copenhagen.<P>The Tern carried a cargo of sugar, the Baltic Carrier carried 30,000 tons of heavy fuel oil, of which <BR>2,700 tons has spilt into the sea. The Tern is now safely in the port of Rostock in Germany. <P>Oil is drifting in various directions into Groensund between Stubbekobing and the Faroe bridge. Most of the oil has reached the northern shoreline of Groensund.<P>Twelve vessels are participating in the clean-up operations. An on-shore command station has also been set up. 380 tons of oil have been recovered from the shore, adding up to a total of 1210 m³ of oil recovered. 1000 seabirds have been found dead or covered by oil.