Burnt to safety
A 195-metre cargo ship carrying nearly 1.5 million litres of oil was set on fire by explosive experts in Coos Bay, Oregon, usa. The action was taken in anticipation of a fierce storm which threatened to break the freighter and worsen the oil spill.
The state and federal authorities decided that it was safer to burn the fuel than risk a more serious spill. "It would have been an environmental disaster if we had sat back and allowed the oil to flow into the water,' said Oregon governor, John Kitzhaber.
The crew had initially hoped to use a giant tug to tow the freighter out to sea, but the heavy seas weakened the ship's frame and made the plan impracticable. Authorities decided to act as the storm approached the ship with strong winds whipping up waves more than six metres in height. The officials hoped that the smoke plume and particulate matter emitted from the burn would be dispersed by the wind.