Sunday, Feb 03, 2013 at 22:07
the boat
A wrecked ship is threatening to cause an environmental disaster on an island which is
home to endangered penguins, conservationists warn.
The vessel has grounded on Nightingale Island, part of the Tristan da Cunha UK overseas territory in the South Atlantic, causing an oil slick around the island which is
home to nearly half the world's
population of northern rockhopper penguins.
Some 1,500 tonnes of heavy crude oil from the MS Olivia, which was shipping soya beans between Rio de Janeiro and Singapore, is leaking into the sea.
According to the RSPB, oil now surrounds Nightingale Island and extends into a slick eight
miles offshore, threatening the endangered penguins and the economically important
rock lobster fishery.
Hundreds of penguins have already been seen coming ashore covered in oil, the wildlife charity said..
Oil covered birds
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