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CNN Live Today
Leaking Oil Tanker Split in Two This Morning
Aired November 19, 2002 - 10:10 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: We're also covering a developing story off the coast of Spain this morning, and it is in every sense of the word an environmental disaster in the making here. A leaking oil tanker split in two this morning, and it's now threatening to dump its full cargo of some 77,000 tons of diesel fuel, and if all of that spills, it would be double the size of the "Exxon Valdez" oil spill back in 1989.
For the latest on this, let's check in with now with CNN's Al Goodman, who joins us on the phone -- Al.
AL GOODMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Leon, this stricken tanker, the "Prestige," which is carrying a Bahamas (ph) flat is 130 miles off the coast of northwest Spain, and it has ruptured this morning, as you say. The stern is under water, and the bow is above water. It's unclear exactly how much oil has leaked off it from today's development.
And we can tell you what's happened since last Wednesday when this ship was closer to the shore of Spain and started leaking. It's already leaked a small portion of that 77,000 tons of fuel oil, and fuel oil, we might say, is thicker and more difficult to clean up than crude oil. One shipping expert told CNN earlier today, it has the consistency of chewing gum. So a very dangerous situation indeed facing the fishing industry, and the rich bird and wildlife that is here in northwest Spain.
Now, the ship has had all sorts of problems since it started leaking oil last Wednesday, Leon, and right now nations from throughout Europe are rushing aid and ships to the site to try to help Spain to stem the tide already; 200 kilometers or 120 miles of the coastline has reach received some portion of the oil not in a solid line, but bits and bobs here and there, so they are very prepared for the worst -- Leon.
HARRIS: Al, is it clear yet who even owns this ship, or who is responsible for this mess?
GOODMAN: There's been a lot of finger-pointing. As I said the Prestige is carrying a Bahamas flag. Reports we have say it belongs to a firm in Liberia, in Africa, but it's operated by a firm out of Athens, and there is a lot of finger-pointing between Spain and the United Kingdom as to where the ship was headed. Spain says it had headed to Gibraltar. The UK says that's not the case, and so right now, while there's a lot of finger-pointing going on and the international pressure is ratcheting up on the other side, you have people trying to save northwest Spain's coastline. Incidentally, Leon, there was a major environmental disaster here 10 years ago in 1992 when an oil tanker spilled tens of thousands of tons of oil around the northwest city of La Coruna. The people here remember that very well, and in fact, some of the compensation has not even been paid from that 10 years ago -- Leon.
HARRIS: Al Goodman. Thank you very much. We appreciate that.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired November 19, 2002 - 10:10 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: We're also covering a developing story off the coast of Spain this morning, and it is in every sense of the word an environmental disaster in the making here. A leaking oil tanker split in two this morning, and it's now threatening to dump its full cargo of some 77,000 tons of diesel fuel, and if all of that spills, it would be double the size of the "Exxon Valdez" oil spill back in 1989.
For the latest on this, let's check in with now with CNN's Al Goodman, who joins us on the phone -- Al.
AL GOODMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Leon, this stricken tanker, the "Prestige," which is carrying a Bahamas (ph) flat is 130 miles off the coast of northwest Spain, and it has ruptured this morning, as you say. The stern is under water, and the bow is above water. It's unclear exactly how much oil has leaked off it from today's development.
And we can tell you what's happened since last Wednesday when this ship was closer to the shore of Spain and started leaking. It's already leaked a small portion of that 77,000 tons of fuel oil, and fuel oil, we might say, is thicker and more difficult to clean up than crude oil. One shipping expert told CNN earlier today, it has the consistency of chewing gum. So a very dangerous situation indeed facing the fishing industry, and the rich bird and wildlife that is here in northwest Spain.
Now, the ship has had all sorts of problems since it started leaking oil last Wednesday, Leon, and right now nations from throughout Europe are rushing aid and ships to the site to try to help Spain to stem the tide already; 200 kilometers or 120 miles of the coastline has reach received some portion of the oil not in a solid line, but bits and bobs here and there, so they are very prepared for the worst -- Leon.
HARRIS: Al, is it clear yet who even owns this ship, or who is responsible for this mess?
GOODMAN: There's been a lot of finger-pointing. As I said the Prestige is carrying a Bahamas flag. Reports we have say it belongs to a firm in Liberia, in Africa, but it's operated by a firm out of Athens, and there is a lot of finger-pointing between Spain and the United Kingdom as to where the ship was headed. Spain says it had headed to Gibraltar. The UK says that's not the case, and so right now, while there's a lot of finger-pointing going on and the international pressure is ratcheting up on the other side, you have people trying to save northwest Spain's coastline. Incidentally, Leon, there was a major environmental disaster here 10 years ago in 1992 when an oil tanker spilled tens of thousands of tons of oil around the northwest city of La Coruna. The people here remember that very well, and in fact, some of the compensation has not even been paid from that 10 years ago -- Leon.
HARRIS: Al Goodman. Thank you very much. We appreciate that.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
