Crews salvage oil from ship stranded on Barrier Reef

Salvage crews at a damaged coal carrier stuck on the Great Barrier Reef today began pumping fuel oil from the stricken vessel onto another barge to carry it away and prevent it from leaking onto the delicate reef.

Patrick Quirk, general manager of Maritime Safety Queensland, said inflatable booms were in place around the vessels to trap and contain any oil that may spill during the procedure.