An environmental disaster was feared in the Pacific after a ship ran aground and began leaking oil next to a Unesco World Heritage site.
More than 80 tons of oil have already leaked into the sea close to the Solomon Islands, which are east of Papua New Guinea.
There were still 660 tons of oil on the bulk carrier, the Solomon Trader, which was pushed on to a reef by heavy seas as it loaded bauxite ore on February 5.
Footage taken this week, above, shows that little progress has been made in stopping the oil spill, according to the Australian high commission in the Solomons.
The islands’ government has asked Australia for emergency help to control the leak.
Rennell Island, part of the Solomons, is a heritage site because it has the largest raised coral atoll in the world and is a “natural laboratory” for scientific study.
