Singapore: Singapore-based IMC Shipping Company has agreed to plead guilty to environmental violations caused by an oil spill when the Selendang Ayu, a vessel owned by its subsidiary, ran aground off the uninhabited west side of Unalaska Island in 2004, reports Reuters. The company was fined $10m US District Court in Anchorage for damages caused by the 335,732 gallons (1.5m litres) of fuel oil spilled.
The company still faces civil fines for natural resource damage as the spill killed more than 1,600 seabirds at the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge.
The vessel, which had been caught in a sea storm, had floated for two days before running aground and spilling both the fuel and 60,000tons of soybeans when it spilt in half. Additionally, six crew members perised during the evacuation of the vessel when a US Coast Guard helicopter rescuing them was hit by a wave and crashed. The remaining 20 crew members managed to get to safety.
The court is yet to approve IMC Shipping's plea deal. [15/08/07]
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