Oil from tanker disaster washes up on UK beaches for the first time

Fist sized lumps of oil believed to be from the Prestige oil tanker disaster last November in Galicia are now washing up for the first time on UK shores.

Local authorities in Jersey have reported the arrival of the oil at several beaches on the island over the last week. Although official tests on the oil are not yet complete it is feared that the oil is the same as that washing up on Normandy beaches in France. French authorities in Normandy have matched their samples to that of the Prestige.

Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) supporters on Jersey have already come into contact with the oil while surfing at St Ouens beach. The oil has been enough to smear surfboards and water users are concerned that big spring tides over the next few days will only lead to the arrival of more oil.

Whilst beaches have not been closed the local authority has posted notices warning people of the presence of oil in the water and on the beach. Clean up teams are cleaning the beach from 6am till 10am every day to ensure any new oil is disposed of carefully. However oil can arrive at any time on each new tide.

Local surfers will be organising their own beach clean over the weekend to help support the local authority's clean up teams to ensure Jersey's beaches can continue to be used by all through the busy summer season.

Richard Hardy Campaigns Assistant at SAS says: "The Prestige disaster caused a maritime disaster and as this incident in Jersey has shown will continue to pollute the marine environment for decades. Surfers and other watersport enthusiasts are often the first to be affected by such events, but also the first to help nature fight ocean pollution. SAS will be calling for the polluter pays principal to be fully adopted should the test results on the Jersey oil match it to that of the Prestige".

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