Portugal, France on Alert as Oil From Tanker Moves Their Way
CAMINHA, Portugal — Portugal and France went on high alert Wednesday as oil slicks from the sunken tanker Prestige encroached on their coasts and a tide of sludge lapped on the shores of another Spanish nature reserve.
The spill has already coated 183 beaches in Spain with fuel oil despite the efforts of under-equipped and overwhelmed volunteers who are helping the official cleanup.
Oil-stained birds have begun turning up along the southwestern French coast, officials there say, and small slicks from the spill are drifting northeast toward France.
President Jacques Chirac ordered his Cabinet on Wednesday to keep special watch on France’s west coast for oil slicks.
Portuguese Defense Minister Paulo Portas said reconnaissance flights found the closest oil slick was about 18 nautical miles from the coast.
Meanwhile, Spain’s Environment Ministry said the black tide touched shore on at least two of the Cies Islands, a protected, pristine archipelago that is a haven for migratory sea birds.
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