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Tugboat Hits The Same Reef As The Exxon Valdez
By Matt J. Weiss, December 27, 2009 @ 01:05 PM (EST)
The Exxon Valdez oil spill of 1989 in Alaska's Prince William Sound is considered one of the worst human caused environmental disasters to happen at sea. Because of it, there is a new system that requires 2 tugboat to escort oil boats over the reefs of the Prince William Sound.
The Pathfinder is one of these tugboats but it managed to hit the same reef, Blight Reef, as the Exxon Valdez. Two fuel tanks were damaged on the 136ft tugboat which carried an estimated 33,500 gallons of fuel. This is less than a third of a percent of the Exxon Valdez spill, but, according to the Associated Press, created a fuel sheen on the water of about three miles long and 30 yards wide. The tug boat was towed to Valdez on Sunday.
It's sad that a boat could hit one of the most documented reefs in America.
The Pathfinder is one of these tugboats but it managed to hit the same reef, Blight Reef, as the Exxon Valdez. Two fuel tanks were damaged on the 136ft tugboat which carried an estimated 33,500 gallons of fuel. This is less than a third of a percent of the Exxon Valdez spill, but, according to the Associated Press, created a fuel sheen on the water of about three miles long and 30 yards wide. The tug boat was towed to Valdez on Sunday.
It's sad that a boat could hit one of the most documented reefs in America.
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