Geneva, May 30 (IANS): Oil has spilled into a lake in Austria during cleaning works, police in Salzburg said on Sunday.
According to the statement, a steel container began leaking as it was being removed from the Lake Wolfgang near Salzburg and caused the spill.
Divers had been removing old containers and tyres from the lake. They already recovered about 20 rusty barrels filled with water, when one of them unexpectedly leaked oil, DPA reported.
The fire brigade immediately placed containment barriers around the patch of oil and sprayed it with a binding agent to keep it from spreading.
A specialist company was hired to siphon off the oil in an area of about 30 square kilometres, according to the statement.
There was no immediate indication of environmental damage.