Overview

 On March 24, 1989 the oil tanker Exxon Valdez hit Bligh Reef spilling millions of gallons of oil into the enclosed Prince William Sound.

Accident

On March 24th, 1989, the oil tanker Exxon Valdez left from the Valdez oil terminal in Valdez, Alaska, heading south through Prince William Sound, with a full load of 52 million gallons of oil. Captain Joseph Hazelwood radioed to the Coast Guard station that he would be changing course in order to avoid some growlers, or small icebergs, which had drifted into the sound from the Columbia Glacier. The captain received permission to move into the northbound lane. Before retiring to his cabin, Captain Hazelwood instructed his third mate, Gregory Cousins, to "start coming back into the lanes" once the ship was abeam Busby Island Light, some two minutes ahead.

Although Cousins did give the instructions to the helmsman to steer the vessel to the right, the vessel was not turning sharply enough and at 12:04 a.m. on March 24, the vessel hit Bligh Reef. According to the National Transportation Safety Board report "The probable cause of the spill was: the failure of the third mate to properly maneuver the vessel because of fatigue and excessive workload. Other contributing factors were one, the failure of the master to provide a proper navigational watch because of impairment from [alcohol], two, the failure of the Exxon Shipping Company to provide.

Environmental Effects

The tanker was owned by the former Exxon corporation and when it struck Prince William Sound's Bligh Reef. As mentioned above, it was carrying around 52 million gallons of oil not all of which spilled. It had generally been accepted that 10.8 gallons were dumped but some groups still contend that in actuality, around 30 gallons seeped out.

The oil devastated the surrounding wildlife. It is estimated that 250,000 seabirds, 2,800 sea otters, 300 harbor seals, 250 bald eagles, 22 [orca whales], and billions of salmon and herring eggs. Additionally, the oil killed off the majority of the plankton in the sound.

Though the spill affected more than 1900 miles of coastline, due to immense clean-up efforts, little visual effects remain today. But, the impact on wildlife is still felt. Stunted growth in salmon and devastated shoreline habitat for mussels and nesting birds will be lingering effects for decades.

External Links

• List of Oil Spills 1967-2002.

Current Events

• Pair of studies document respiratory related illness in humans and considerable damage to the marine ecosystem near Karachi, following Tasman Spirit oil spill of 2003. See full Daily Times article.