Submarine probes site of sunken fuel tanker

MUXIA - A yellow submarine has found no apparent new leak from the sunken tanker Prestige, despite a giant oil slick threatening to spread to Spain's north coast.

Spanish officials said the French mini-sub Nautile had located the bow of the Prestige during its first dive and there were no early signs of fuel seeping from its tanks.

"The first indication is that no fuel oil is emerging from the wreck of the ship, but we will not be able to be sure until tomorrow or the day after," said Spain's Deputy Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, in charge of clean-up operations.

The Prestige snapped in two on November 19, taking most of its 77,000 tonnes of fuel oil 3.6km to the ocean floor and sparking fears of a pollution time-bomb which might contaminate nearby fisheries.

The Prestige began spewing fuel oil on November 13 when an Atlantic storm cracked its hull. Spain ordered it tugged out to sea and the tanker leaked some of its foul-smelling shipment for six days before sinking about 336km from the coast.

The first wave of oil from the initial leak has already fouled more than 164 beaches in Galicia, devastating the region's fishing industry.

Government officials said fragmented patches of toxic fuel oil were drifting towards the northern region of Asturias, on the Bay of Biscay.

A much thicker tide of fuel oil, disgorged when the Prestige broke apart, was blown by northwesterly winds towards the fragile river estuaries along the southern stretch of Galicia's coastline, where the bulk of its shellfish industry lies.

Some has begun to wash ashore, killing hundreds of birds, fish and several dolphins. In particular, environmentalists voiced concerns for the Corrubedo national park, which is home to a variety of shellfish and is an important watering point for migratory birds.

While the Government has not provided an estimate of the oil spilled to date, environmental organisations say it may total 20,000 tonnes. The latest slick is estimated to be double the size of the first.

Government officials say it has been reduced by a fleet of seven clean-up ships, with four more on their way, and is being contained by nearly 12km of barriers.

Stormy weather conditions which had hampered early clean up efforts have eased, and specialist ships have so far been able to suck up a total of 7000 tonnes from the ocean.

It is hoped the 8m-long Nautile, best known for finding the remains of the Titanic, will discover the Prestige's toxic cargo has congealed in freezing temperatures and high pressure on the sea floor.

As European Union officials drafted proposals aimed at speeding a ban on old, single-hulled tankers like the Prestige, Spain's Government rejected claims it was poorly prepared to tackle the disaster and had been forced to rely on clean-up vessels from other nations.

"We are not lacking in resources," Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar said. "There is no country in the world which can predict a disaster of this size and be prepared."

The European Commission has blacklisted 66 dangerous merchant ships, which will be banned from European waters.

The commission is also expected to recommend the banning of single-hull tankers transporting heavy fuel oil from European waters.

The proposals will be revealed on the eve of an EU Transport Ministers meeting in Brussels this week.

- AGENCIES

Herald feature: Environment