Environmental Melt Down
Amoco Cadiz
What
The Amco Cadiz was a huge carrier ship which split into three pieces and sank. It released 1,604,500 barrels (219,797 tones) of light crude oil and 4,000 tones of fuel. This resulted in the largest oil spill in it's time and the largest loss of marine life recorded in all of history.
Within two weeks, the winds and currents had spread the oil and polluted more than 300 km of coast. .
Within two weeks, the winds and currents had spread the oil and polluted more than 300 km of coast. .
When
This disaster happened on March 16, 1978.
Where
The ship sunk off the coast of Portsall North Finistère , France
Why and How it happened
During a heavy storm the oil tanker, Amoco Cadiz was en route from the Persian Gulf to Rotterdam with 227,000 tonnes of crude oil. Tragically it drifted towards the Breton coast when it's steering system failed. A German ship attempted to help and the tow rope broke leaving the tanker hitting portsall rocks on the bottom and breaking into three parts. When this happened many of the oil tanks were broken and oil spilled out quickly.