Cleaning crude oil around Skomer Island, October 1978

Description

Following the Christos Bitas oil spill in October 1978, the entire beach at North Haven was covered with at least 300 tons of crude oil. In some places in was at least 50cm deep.

At 1634 on October 12, 1978, the Christos Bitas ran aground on rocks approximately 10 miles off Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, Wales. After about half of its tanks ruptured, the tanker floated free of the rocks. The master of the vessel requested assistance from Her Majesty's Coast Guard in controlling the spilled oil, and the Christos Bitas continued for Belfast, its planned destination. The tanker was stopped at 52 25 N, 005 40 W at the request of British Petroleum Tanker Company, the owner of the cargo, and H. M. Coast Guard. The tanker was carrying 257,250 barrels of heavy Iranian crude oil. Approximately 21,990 barrels spilled into the Irish Sea. Nearly all the cargo was offloaded to other vessels, and the Christos Bitas was scuttled in the North Atlantic on October 31, 1978. Oil impacted some beaches in South Wales, as well as on Skomer Island, and the North Devon coast. Dispersants were used throughout the spill response, which lasted until November 13.