Oil has been spilling for nine weeks

'Huge damage' in Australia spill


Environmentalists fear oil is heading towards an area where whales breed

The international conservation group, WWF, says a spill from a damaged oil rig in the Timor Sea off Australia has caused massive contamination.

The WWF, which made a three-day survey of the area off Australia's north-west coast, said the spill was having a significant impact on marine life.

A spokeswoman said she had seen dolphins swimming in water that was covered with oil.

Engineers are mounting a fourth attempt to plug the leak on the West Atlas rig.

It has been spilling oil for almost nine weeks.

Outrage

The WWF spokeswoman, Dr Gilly Llewellyn, said that if the spill was closer to shore there would be global outrage.

She said there were areas where the slick extended in every direction for as far as the eye could see.

Officials from Australia's Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism said on Thursday the damaged rig could be leaking as much as as 2,000 barrels of oil a day.

Described as a vast wilderness area, the area affected by the spill is home to many humpback whales, endangered turtles, dolphins and other marine life.

Conservationists have said this is Australia's most damaging oil spill in 25 years.

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