THE tanker that broke in half and sank apparently took most of its cargo of toxic fuel oil to the frigid bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, where it may solidify and pose less danger to fishing grounds and scenic beaches along northwestern Spain.

A TIME bomb of almost 20 million gallons of thick oil was ticking on the bed of the Atlantic last night, threatening to swamp Spanish and Portuguese coasts with one of the world's worst ecological disasters.

Oil salvage workers were tonight hoping a major ecological disaster had been averted after the stricken tanker Prestige finally sank in the Atlantic.

SPAIN was facing a major ecological disaster yesterday when another tank was reported to have cracked on the crippled ship Prestige, leaking more oil into the Atlantic.

Spain was facing a major ecological disaster today when another oil tank was reported to have cracked on the crippled tanker Prestige, leaking more oil into the Atlantic.