A storm forced suspension today of the removal of 10,000 gallons of oil from a wrecked ship that spilled 160,000 gallons when it ran aground in the Galapagos islands, home to some of the world's rarest species.
The US Coast Guard sprayed chemicals into the Pacific Ocean near the islands to disperse the spilled oil, though much of it broke up on the rocky island's shores or evaporated in the sun.
The Galapagos, located 600 miles (1,000 km) from Ecuador's shore, is a prime natural sanctuary for thousands of birds, marine species and giant tortoises.
Coast Guard crews and the Ecuadorean navy planned to right the wrecked ship and remove the remaining oil but a fierce storm kicked up northwest of the islands sending waves that forced suspension of the effort, Mr Ed Stanton, Coast Guard coordinator, said.
"There's a big storm 1,000 miles to the northwest. We had to suspend work because the waves were crashing up onto the vessel.
"There's been only a minor impact on the coastline. We've been very lucky, the oil was light and has largely evaporated," he said.
In Geneva, the World Wide Fund for Nature called on the Ecuadoran government to enforce with urgency its own laws on protection of the islands.
It said the current cleanup should be only the beginning of efforts to ensure that the unique flora and fauna of the Galapagos could survive in the future.
Reuters