On the Islas de Ceis, volunteers assemble to clear the beaches of oil from the sunked tanker "Prestige". Galicia, Spain. December 2002.
Spanish Scout volunteers prepare truck for transport of recovered oil. Clean-up of oil from the sunken tanker ‘Prestige’. Cangas, Galicia, Spain. December 2002.
Volunteers engaged in clean-up. ‘Prestige’ oil spill. Cies Islands Nature Reserve, Galicia, Spain. December 2002.
Volunteers in protective clothing return from contaminated coastline. ‘Prestige’ oil spill. San Vincenta del Mar, Galicia, Spain. December 2002.
Volunteers engaged in clean-up. ‘Prestige’ oil spill. Cies Islands Nature Reserve, Galicia, Spain. December 2002.
Local fishermen returning with recovered oil from clean-up operations on Cies Islands Nature Reserve. ‘Prestige’ oil spill. Cangas, Galicia, Spain. December 2002.
Volunteers engaged in clean-up. ‘Prestige’ oil spill. Cies Islands Nature Reserve, Galicia, Spain. December 2002.
Buckets used by volunteers to carry oil picked off the rocky coastline by hand. ‘Prestige’ oil spill. San Vincenta del Mar, Galicia, Spain. December 2002.
On 19 November 2002 the ‘Prestige’, a tanker carrying 77,000 tons of crude oil, broke in two and sank off the coast of Galicia, northwest Spain.
As one of the NGOs involved stated at the time: “The Prestige is Bahamas flagged, American classed, Greek owned by a company that may or may not be registered in Liberia, and chartered by a business that could be Russian or could be Swiss. Nobody yet knows.”
The government of Spain had refused the stricken ship permission to enter it’s waters and pump off its cargo. Once the ship had broken up and the oil gushed towards the coast, robbing the fishing industry of its livelihood for years, the Greek captain was arrested by Spain.
The people who removed the oil from the rocky coast and the perfect white beaches knew who they blamed: their government. They also knew who was going to be clearing up the mess: they were. One handful at a time.
Like this:
Like Loading...
