This is a sad, sad photo of a huge oil spill that recently occurred in Queensland, Australia.
A cargo ship leaked tons of fuel into the ocean after cyclonic seas caused containers of ammonium nitrate to break loose and rip giant holes in the hull of the ship. Why the ship was out in these rough sea conditions will be the subject of a full investigation.
To date, the total amount of oil spilled has not been determined, but a spokesman for the company Swire Shipping, Ltd. which owns the vessel in question, says that it’s believedto be significantly more than the 11,000 gallons originally estimated.
The amount of wildlife affected by the spill is yet to be determined as well, but state Environmental Protection Agency workers are on the scene…
A reminder of just how fragile our oceans are!
A huge oil slick blackens the beach near Cape Moreton on Moreton Island, Queensland, Australia. Credit: Dave Hunt / Queensland Environment Protection Agency