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| Down Under |
| New Zealand Beach Sabotaged by Unknown Moron |
| 2004-02-09 |
| EFL New Zealand officials said Monday they believe a 3,400-gallon fuel spill in a fjord listed as a World Heritage site was intentional. Environment Minister Chris Carter called Sunday’s diesel leak in Milford Sound fjord "eco-terrorism and economic sabotage" against the country’s lucrative tourism industry, but cleanup officials said the diesel would be relatively easy to contain. The fjord is a major tourist attraction, home to a rare species of penguin and flanked by mountains on the west coast of New Zealand’s South Island, some 700 miles southwest of the capital, Wellington. Police said someone had connected a hose to the diesel tank of a boat, pouring fuel into the water. There were no immediate arrests. At least 2,000 tourists were turned away from the fjord for a second day Monday as workers tried to control the 1.25-mile slick from spreading into wildlife areas, officials said. So far the damage has been contained to "a few oily ducks," said Warren Tuckey, a member of a local government council coordinating the clean-up. Staff worked through the night to pump contaminated water into holding tanks. "Luckily diesel disperses quickly and does evaporate -- it’s much easier than fuel oil to handle and the effects are not as long-term," said Conservation Department spokesman Tom O’Connor. Quite a bit of trouble and risk to go through to damage the enviroment ineffectively. Sort of a stupid attack. Maybe some psycho things he is a villian from Captain Planet. |
| Posted by:Super Hose |
| #2 |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-2-9 5:47:48 PM |
| #1 |
| Posted by: muck4doo 2004-2-9 5:00:38 PM |