Torrey Canyon
On
18 March 1967, the Liberian oil tanker the Torrey Canyon,
operated by a subsidiary of the Union Oil Company of California
and loaded with 121,000 tonnes of crude oil, ran aground between the Isles
of Scilly and the British coast.
In spite of heavy response
with dispersants and all recovery means available, oil slicks
drifted in the Channel, reaching the French and British
coasts.
This accident made Europe aware of a risk which had been
neglected. It gave birth to the first elements of the French,
British and European policies of prevention and response
against great oil slick disasters.
Impact studies indicated that some
of the dispersants used for the response
were even more toxic than oil.
The Torrey Canyon sinking
Name: Torrey Canyon
Date: 18 March 1967
Location: England
Accident area: Scilly Islands
Ship type: oil tanker
Date built: 1959
Flag: Liberian
Type of pollutant: crude oil
Quantity transported: 121,000 tonnes
Quantity spilled: 121,000 tonnes
Cause of spill: grounding
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Last update: April 2006