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CNN Live Today

Oil Tanker Sinks

Aired November 19, 2002 - 11:00   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.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We are following a developing story off the coast of Spain, and it is in every sense of the world an environmental disaster in the making, a leaking oil tanker and it sank. It is threatening to dump its full cargo of some 77,000 tons of diesel fuel. If it all spills, it will be double the size of the Exxon Valdez oil spill back in 1989.
For the latest, we want to bring in our Al Goodman. This is the first live report we've had on the situation.

He joins us now from Spain.

Al, hello.

AL GOODMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, good day.

The stricken tanker, Prestige, a Bohemian flag tanker is 130 miles off the coast from where we're standing, but the whole coast is on high alert. Now, we have reports that the stern of the ship has sunk. The bow was still floating. We're getting some unconfirmed reports that the whole thing has gone under. We do not have word yet on how much oil is sinking off. There was somewhat less than 77,000 tons as it got out to the position where it is now. You'll recall that it started leaking oil last Wednesday. Estimates there say 4,000 to 6,000 tons have leaked off. That has already affected a 200- kilometer stretch of this coastline, affecting little fishing villages, picturesque fishing villages like this one.

Now, this place is ready for the worst. You can see this orange boom that stretches way down here.

Now, this is staying on the dock in this town of Camarenas, where we are right now, but as we flew into La Coruna, the major city in this area, from Madrid a few hours ago, we saw from the air various inlets that were cut off by these types of booms, hoping to keep the oil from coming in to the port areas and affecting the richest areas of the sea life. So everybody is on high alert. There's already been some damage here, and they're expecting much worse damage -- Daryn.

KAGAN: I understand there's a lot of finger-pointing between different countries that could be involved here. And the...

GOODMAN: There is, indeed. The Spanish prime minister has said that this ship was headed to Gibraltar, and that would make the United Kingdom -- of course Gibraltar is a UK colony at the southern tip of Spain. That would put the United Kingdom involved and perhaps to blame for this. But the United Kingdom has said this ship was not heading there, even though officials in Gibraltar said it was heading there. So there is a lot of international finger-pointing going on. On the bright side internationally, 10 European nations, said they would be willing to rush to Spain's aid, a couple, France and Holland, have already sent ships to this area.

KAGAN: Al Goodman joining us live from Spain, thank you.

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 - 11:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We are following a developing story off the coast of Spain, and it is in every sense of the world an environmental disaster in the making, a leaking oil tanker and it sank. It is threatening to dump its full cargo of some 77,000 tons of diesel fuel. If it all spills, it will be double the size of the Exxon Valdez oil spill back in 1989.
For the latest, we want to bring in our Al Goodman. This is the first live report we've had on the situation.

He joins us now from Spain.

Al, hello.

AL GOODMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, good day.

The stricken tanker, Prestige, a Bohemian flag tanker is 130 miles off the coast from where we're standing, but the whole coast is on high alert. Now, we have reports that the stern of the ship has sunk. The bow was still floating. We're getting some unconfirmed reports that the whole thing has gone under. We do not have word yet on how much oil is sinking off. There was somewhat less than 77,000 tons as it got out to the position where it is now. You'll recall that it started leaking oil last Wednesday. Estimates there say 4,000 to 6,000 tons have leaked off. That has already affected a 200- kilometer stretch of this coastline, affecting little fishing villages, picturesque fishing villages like this one.

Now, this place is ready for the worst. You can see this orange boom that stretches way down here.

Now, this is staying on the dock in this town of Camarenas, where we are right now, but as we flew into La Coruna, the major city in this area, from Madrid a few hours ago, we saw from the air various inlets that were cut off by these types of booms, hoping to keep the oil from coming in to the port areas and affecting the richest areas of the sea life. So everybody is on high alert. There's already been some damage here, and they're expecting much worse damage -- Daryn.

KAGAN: I understand there's a lot of finger-pointing between different countries that could be involved here. And the...

GOODMAN: There is, indeed. The Spanish prime minister has said that this ship was headed to Gibraltar, and that would make the United Kingdom -- of course Gibraltar is a UK colony at the southern tip of Spain. That would put the United Kingdom involved and perhaps to blame for this. But the United Kingdom has said this ship was not heading there, even though officials in Gibraltar said it was heading there. So there is a lot of international finger-pointing going on. On the bright side internationally, 10 European nations, said they would be willing to rush to Spain's aid, a couple, France and Holland, have already sent ships to this area.

KAGAN: Al Goodman joining us live from Spain, thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com