Greek authorities insist they are doing everything they can to clean up pollution following the sinking of a small oil tanker that has left large sections of the Greek capital's coastal areas coated in viscous, foul-smelling oil.

Merchant Marine Minister Panagiotis Kouroumplis said Thursday that "all the means available in the country" are being deployed to tackle the spill, while the European Commission said Greece has requested help from the European Union's Civil Protection Mechanism and a specialized cleanup vessel has been deployed.

The Agia Zoni II tanker sank Sunday while anchored off the coast of Salamina island, near Greece's main port of Piraeus, with 2,200 tons of fuel oil and 370 tons of marine gas oil.