Oil spill could devastate south coast of Ireland

The south coast of Ireland faces its worst environmental disaster in decades if pollution from the crippled Prestige tanker off the coast of Spain is not contained.

The tanker, carrying 70,000 tonnes of fuel, split in two this morning polluting the coastline of Galicia.

The drama began last Wednesday when the vessel ran into trouble during a violent storm.

Irish environmentalists say Irish waters are now under serious threat as the pollution move towards our coast.

Tony Loves of Friends of the Irish Environment says we could be dealing with a major environmental catastrophe here within days.

"I think the key term here is something called the Northern Biscay surface circulation. That means that the surface currents will move this disaster quite quickly," he said.

"We think that it could reach the Celtic Sea within two to three days. That will lead to a widespread fisheries closure. That would be the first effect. How far we go from there we will have to wait and see."