What happened to the ship Exxon Valdez?

On July 30, 1989, four months after it ran aground in Alaska’s Prince William Sound and caused the then-largest oil spill in U.S. waters, the crippled Exxon Valdez entered dry dock at National Steel and Shipbuilding in San Diego—its original birthplace.

What caused the Exxon Valdez accident?

Various reports following the accident have identified a number of factors that made Exxon Valdez ran aground on the reef under the command of Captain Joseph Hazelwood. Reports also said the accident occurred as the ship took a route which was not prescribed under the normal shipping route.

Who was responsible for the Exxon Valdez accident?

Hazelwood, who was found guilty of negligence for his role in the massive oil spill in Prince William Sound in 1989, successfully argued that he was entitled to immunity from prosecution because he had reported the oil spill to authorities 20 minutes after the ship ran aground.

When did the Exxon Valdez wreck?

March 24, 1989
On March 24, 1989 the oil tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground in Prince William Sound, Alaska, spilling 11 million gallons of oil. The ecologically sensitive location, season of the year, and large scale of this spill resulted in one of the largest environmental disasters in U.S. history.

What happened at Exxon?

Exxon Valdez oil spill, massive oil spill that occurred on March 24, 1989, in Prince William Sound, an inlet in the Gulf of Alaska, Alaska, U.S. The incident happened after an Exxon Corporation tanker, the Exxon Valdez, ran aground on Bligh Reef during a voyage from Valdez, Alaska, to California.

How did the Exxon Valdez affect humans?

No humans died during the actual oil spill, but four were killed during the cleanup. Furthermore, many workers involved in the cleanup fell ill. Respiratory illnesses (of which 6,722 were reported) were thought to be colds or flus and were even called ‘the Valdez crud.

Is there still oil from the Exxon Valdez?

A small portion of the oil from the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill still lingers in patches beneath Prince William Sound, Alaska, beaches. However, this and other studies suggests the remaining oil is sequestered, or buried, and currently is not posing a risk to the coastal and marine ecosystem.

What is the biggest oil spill ever?

BP’s Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (2010) The largest accidental oil spill in history began in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, 2010, after a surge of natural gas blasted through a cement well cap that had recently been installed to seal a well drilled by the Deepwater Horizon oil platform.

What were the long term effects of the Exxon Valdez?

A new study released today into the effects of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska shows that embryonic salmon and herring exposed to very low levels of crude oil can develop hidden heart defects that compromise their later survival, indicating that the spill may have had much greater impacts on spawning fish …

Are there still effects from the Exxon Valdez oil spill?

Although only a fraction of the original 42 million liters, it remains nearly as toxic as the day it poured from the tanker. Research indicates it is not degrading. However, the oil is not on the surface and its decades-long threat to birds, shellfish, and marine mammals appears to have finally ceased.

Why did the Exxon valdex crash?

The Exxon-Valdez crash into the reef is believed to be caused by a number of factors. First, experts say that the Exxon Shipping Company did not repair the tanker’s sonar system , which could have alerted crew to the presence of the reef. Second, the third mate, who was driving the ship at the time of the accident, did not properly execute

What was the Exxon Valdez accident?

Shortly after midnight on March 24, 1989, in a tragic accident deeply regretted by the company, the Exxon Valdez supertanker ran aground in Alaska’s Prince William Sound. Despite the efforts undertaken to stabilize the vessel and prevent further spillage of oil, more than 250,000 barrels of oil were lost in just a short period of time.

What company owned the Exxon Valdez?

“Exxon Valdez” built by National Steel & Shipbuilding Co., San Diego; 1986. “Exxon Valdez” was the original name of an Oil tanker owned by the former Exxon Shipping Company, a division of the former Exxon Corporation.

How far did the Exxon Valdez oil spill to?

The Exxon Valdez oil slick covered 1,300 miles of coastline and killed hundreds of thousands of seabirds, otters, seals and whales. Nearly 30 years later, pockets of crude oil remain in some locations. After the spill, Exxon Valdez returned to service under a different name, operating for more than two decades as an oil tanker and ore carrier.