The tanker Torrey Canyon struck the Seven Stones Reef off Land’s End, Cornwall in south west England, on 18 March 1967 and the cargo of about 119,000 tonnes of Kuwait crude oil started to escape from the damaged ship immediately (Fig.1). The government and armed forces took charge of clean-up operations after attempts to tow the wreck off the reef failed, and oil dispersants (detergents) were sprayed on the oil slick from Royal Navy ships and others.
