spanish spill facts 1 ► in 2002 ▄

The ship's oil containers seemed to remain intact, but the toxic fuel was likely to seep out eventually.
The tanker ruptured last Wednesday during a storm. The salvage company estimated it had lost between 1.3 million and 2.6 million gallons of fuel so far. Most of the crew was airlifted off the ship last week.Spanish soldiers and volunteers were cleaning up some 40 miles of coastline between Cape Finisterre and the city of A Coruna, a town about 370 miles northwest of Madrid. In total, 915 kilometres of coastline (the entire Atlantic coastline of Galicia) have been closed to fishing and shellfish gathering, affecting 90,000 people whose livelihood depends directly on these activities. The Spanish government has promised financial compensation for losses sustained by the fishermen, in an area which is famous for its shellfish, octopus and crabs.