Tanker splits in two near wildlife haven

December 11, 2004

THOUSANDS of gallons of heavy-duty oil were pouring from a grounded cargo ship off the Alaska coast last night in a disaster that appears to have claimed six lives and threatens an environmental catastrophe.

The 40,000-tonne Malaysian-registered Selendang Ayu, carrying 480,000 gallons of heavy fuel oil and 21,000 gallons of diesel, yesterday split in two off the coast of Unalaska island, a region near a wildlife refuge that is home to sea lions, seals, otters, halibut fishing stocks and several endangered species.

Timesonline