The stricken oil tanker that fouled the Galapagos Islands cannot be moved and is set to become an artificial reef, according to the US coastguard.
The Ecuadorean Navy had hoped to clear the semi-submerged "Jessica" from the tiny harbor of San Cristobal island where it ran aground last week, leaking most of its 240,000-gallon cargo into the archipelago's waters.
But while the wreck may be an eyesore in the prophetically named "Shipwreck Bay," in time it will become an artificial reef and a new habitat for marine life, Mr Ed Stanton of the US Coast Guard said.
"Seals will start living on it, birds will begin perching on it. It has already attracted fish," Mr Stanton said. "Over time it will become a terrific place to dive. It's a new habitat. We have a new island in the Galapagos, Isla Jessica," he added.
The US Navy was forced to abandon efforts to move the stricken tanker because they did not have the right equipment and the hull was in such poor condition. Mr Stanton forecast that Pacific Ocean waves would erode it out of view within two years.
The spilled oil and chemical dispersants have nearly all been washed out to sea - there was only a thin sheen of oil around the boat - so the ecological urgency to move it had dissipated, he added.
The clean-up effort is now focused on capturing sea lions and birds worst affected by the spill.
Galapagos National Park teams were trawling the coastline with nets and cleaning materials, looking for affected animals. But they were confident the volcanic island cluster's unique ecosystem would suffer no major long-term damage.
Reuters