A Chinese coal-carrying ship is leaking oil after slamming into the Great Barrier Reef. From AP:
The Chinese Shen Neng 1 ran aground late Saturday on Douglas Shoals, a favorite pristine haunt for recreational fishing east of the Great Keppel Island tourist resort. The shoals – off the coast of Queensland state in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park – are in a protected part of the reef where shipping is restricted by environmental law.
Authorities fear an oil spill will damage the world’s largest coral reef, which is off northeast Australia and listed as a World Heritage site for its environmental value.
The ship hit the reef at full speed, nine miles (15 kilometers) outside the shipping lane.
