A Tanker Split in Half off the Coast of Spain - 2002-11-19

A damaged tanker leaking oil has split in half off the northwest coast of Spain, putting the area at risk of an environmental disaster. The ship 'Prestige,' which is owned by Greece and registered in the Bahamas, was carrying seventy thousand tons of oil and sustained damage last week in bad weather. Before splitting, five thousand tons of oil leaked from the vessel near one of Spain's major fishing ports. Spanish officials say that early today, Tuesday, the ship split in half 240 kilometers off the coast. Rescue forces say it is almost certain that the ship will sink, but it is unclear whether the oil will remain in the tanker or spill into the sea. In Spain and Portugal, where fishing and tourism are vital to the economy, officials are preparing for an environmental disaster. Reports indicate that Spain and Portugal are preparing for an environmental catastrophe far worse than previously thought. Spanish naval officials believe that the Prestige, carrying 70 thousand tons of oil, has already sunk much of its oil underwater in the Atlantic waters off the coasts of the two countries. Thick oil has covered these shores, killing many fish and birds so far. Environmental protection experts warn that the oil spill from the sunken tanker and the damage caused may be much worse than the Exxon Valdez incident and its oil spill in Alaska in 1989. Experts say that complete cleanup of these areas may take years.