Wrecked Brazilian Ship Is Leaking Oil in Antarctica

Byline: Associated Press/Federico Quilodran

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — A wrecked Brazilian ship is trapped in ice and is spilling fuel in Antarctica, with no hope of containing the damage until the long South Pole winter eases next October.

The vessel Endless Sea capsized and sank in 39 feet of water last month near where Chile and Brazil have navy bases. The crew was rescued without injury, but poor weather kept them from diving below to check the damage until May 9.

The ship carried about 2,100 gallons of oil, but Veronica Vallejos of the Chilean Antarctic Institute told the Associated Press that the extent of the spill is unknown.

The worst Antarctic spill to date was in 2007, when a tourist ship went down with nearly 57,000 gallons of fuel.

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