news.aol.co.uk/scavengers-banned-from-be...20070123054709990004

Despite the story from Aol above, the impact of the oil slick on the enviroment is going to be terrible. Already I have seen oil soaked birds that I rarely see on my bird watching trips on the TV.
This is not as big a disaster as the Torry Canyon splitting in the sixties, but it won`t be far off.

The first major human reaction to the disaster?

Gather every smitten valuable lying on the beach and leg it...

Not over-loaded, Martin - they are all like that these days!

I think it's more to do with having gone aground in Singapore circa 2001 and some dodgy repairs in Vietnam !

I see them chugging down the Thames to Tilbury and that's what they're like.

Hugh beasties full of Chinese Throw-aways - they don't take long to unload and go back either.

The Cornish can't help themselves... it's genetic, at least they don't cause wrecks anymore.

The problem with the oil is that there really is very little than can be done except react after the event and clean it up. Containing it is, at best, a token effort.

In a completely un-cynical mode as allways:whistle:
There`s a joke in here somewhere.

How do you get a chav to help clear a beach?