Roncudo, Spain
A foundering oil tanker split in two off the coast of Spain this week, threatening to spill twice as much oil as the Exxon Valdez did in the 1989 Alaskan disaster. The Greek-owned Prestige left Latvia last week carrying 20 million gallons of heavy oil and was damaged in a storm off Spain’s shipwreck-prone “Coast of Death.” Tons of gooey sludge began washing up on the shore, coating birds and killing the shellfish that support the region’s fishing industry. Apportioning blame for what could be the world’s worst spill has already begun: Spain accused Britain of failing to overhaul the Prestige during its stops at British ports in recent years. And Spanish officials have arrested the captain, Apostolus Maguras, saying his refusal to cooperate with salvage crews helped sink the ship.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
What should you be stockpiling for 'World War Three'?In the Spotlight Britons advised to prepare after the EU tells its citizens to have an emergency kit just in case
-
Carnivore diet: why people are eating only meatThe Explainer 'Meatfluencers' are taking social media by storm but experts warn meat-only diets have health consequences
-
Scientists want to fight malaria by poisoning mosquitoes with human bloodUnder the radar Drugging the bugs
