World News 19-11-2002 Split Tanker Threatens "Ecological Disaster" who: Salvage company SMIT what: Gives up on stricken oil tanker after it splits in two where: Atlantic Ocean when: This morning snippet: "A desperate salvage operation is underway to stave off an ecological disaster," warns The Independent this morning, "after the stricken oil tanker Prestige was this morning reported to have split in two, 60 miles off the Portuguese coast." Should the Prestige spill its entire cargo of 21 million gallons of oil, a disaster threatens "on double the scale of the 1989 Exxon Valdez episode in Alaska, still considered the world`s worst environmental oil spill. The Exxon Valdez lost 11 million gallons." The owners of the tanker, whose hull cracked during a storm last week, were refused permisson by Prime Minister Jose Manuel Durao Barroso to dock anywhere in Portugal, adds BBC News Online. The ship is roughly on the border of areas for which Spain and Portugal both have responsibility for maritime rescue operations. "The tanker had already leaked an undetermined amount of fuel oil into the rich fishing grounds off Spain`s northwest coast," says The Times, "and the Government gave warning yesterday that the oil could seep into the many inlets that penetrate the Galicia coast like crooked fingers." The Prestige`s Greek captain, Apostolus Maguras, is in detention in La Coruna, continues The Independent, "accused of disobeying authorities and harming the environment. Maritime authorities say he failed to co-operate with rescue crews after sending a distress call on Wednesday. For hours, as the Prestige drifted perilously close to shore, Captain Maguras refused to let tugboats secure cables to his stricken ship, officials said. He is also said to have stopped the motors, for fear of worsening the gap in the hull, thereby allowing the vessel to be blown towards shore." [... more]

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