Threat of ecological disaster as tank cracks

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.

A three-mile slick formed near the tanker which was positioned 80 miles off Spain’s north-west coast.

An earlier spill contaminated at least 60 miles of coastline yesterday. Emergency workers were trying to avert a much bigger disaster in case the tanker broke up and spilled the remaining 75,000 tons of fuel oil.