1978day.year
Supertanker Amoco Cadiz splits in two after running aground on the Portsall Rocks, three miles off the coast of Brittany, resulting in the largest oil spill in history at that time.
On March 16, 1978, the supertanker Amoco Cadiz ran aground off Brittany and split in two, causing the largest oil spill to date.
The Amoco Cadiz ran aground on the Portsall Rocks, three miles off the coast of Brittany, on March 16, 1978.
The 1,223-foot supertanker fractured under stormy sea conditions just days later.
More than 1.6 million barrels of crude oil spilled into the Atlantic, devastating coastal ecosystems and marine life.
Beaches were coated in thick oil, triggering massive clean-up efforts by French authorities and volunteers.
The disaster spurred new international regulations on tanker design, navigation standards, and pollution liability.
It remains a landmark case in environmental law and a sobering reminder of the risks of oil transportation.
Amoco Cadiz
Brittany
oil spill