Tanker oil leak disaster looms

A large oil tanker was gushing thousands of tonnes of oil off South Korea’s west coast today after being hit a barge, South Korea’s maritime ministry said.

The Hong Kong-registered Hebei Spirit was struck while at anchor off Daesan port in the Taean region and the ministry said it had already leaked some 10,800 tonnes of crude oil into the sea near one of the country’s most scenic coastlines.