Torrey Canyon oil spill - 18 March 1967 #maritimehistory

The Torrey Canyon oil spill, off the south-west coast of the United Kingdom in 1967, is one of the world's most serious oil spills.

Following a navigational error, Torrey Canyon struck Pollard's Rock on Seven Stones reef between the Cornish mainland and the Isles of Scilly on 18 March 1967.

Attempts to mitigate the damage included the bombing of the wreck by aircraft from the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. Hundreds of miles of coastline in Britain, France, Guernsey, and Spain were affected.

The grounding and breakup of the supertanker SS Torrey Canyon has had an international legal and environmental legacy. At the time it was the world's worst oil spill, with an estimated 25–36 million gallons (94–164 million litres) of crude oil spilt.

It remains the worst spill in UK history.

This @BBCSpotlight footage of tanker Torrey Canyon being bombed as it leaks oil is still extraordinary 50 years Open Video Here (Louise Walter (@newstigger) March 15, 2017)

A total of 161 bombs, 16 rockets, 1,500 tons of napalm and 44,500 litres of kerosene were reportedly dropped

Read more at Plymouth Herald

Read more at Wikipedia