Spanish minister blames salvage firm for tanker spill

Amid increasing criticism over the Spanish government’s handling of the Prestige disaster, Environment Minister Jaume Matas blamed a Dutch salvage company for the spillage of millions of gallons of toxic fuel oil from the sunken tanker last week, a newspaper reported Sunday.

Questioned about the salvage company SMIT’s criticism of Spain for having forced it to tow the stricken Prestige out to sea, instead of providing a shelter for it to be repaired, Matas told the daily La Razon: “It’s a disgrace that we should have to provide explanations for these people.”