Supplementary Reading Text 1. Oil leaks from Gulf of Mexico pipe hit by anchor

An undersea crude oil pipeline ruptured on Sunday after being hit by a ship's anchor, spilling over 20,000 gallons of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico and leaving a half-mile long oil slick on the water.

A spokesman for the U.S. Department of Transportation said the extent of the damage to the High Island Pipeline was still being evaluated.

"Investigations are still ongoing, but it appears the pipeline was struck by a tanker's anchor", said a DOT spokesman.

A 60-yard-wide oil sheen was visible on the water extending half a mile from the site of the accident, which occurred about 30 miles southeast of Galveston, Texas, a Coast Guard spokesman said.

"The pipeline is still leaking about 80 to 400 gallons per day of oil", Coast Guard spokesman Adam Wine said.

Crude oil flows through the pipeline were halted as soon as a drop in pressure was detected. The pipeline is currently able to pump 26,000 barrels per day of crude oil.

Text 2. Pollution fears after Athena explosion

Environmental fears have been sparked in the outer harbour of Trincomalee, Sri Lanka, since the 1979-built dry bulk carrier Athena, was damaged by an underwater explo­sion.

The hazard has arisen from Athena's engine room which is holding around 7,000 tonnes of water and oil. Small amounts of contamination are already taking place as water moves in and out of the engine room with the tide, but large-scale pollution has so far been avoided as most of the oil sludge has settled at the bot­tom.

The Sri Lankan authorities have denied permission for the high oil content mixture to be discharged into the sea, as Trin­comalee is renowned for its rich marine life and whales. The matter has now been referred to Sri Lanka's Maritime Pollution Prevention Authority which will have to resolve the problem.

One possibility is to pump the water into a tanker.

However, there are additional problems as the damaged vessel had yet to discharge 52,000 tonnes of Argentine wheat when the explosion occurred. Officials will not allow unloading to take place until the engine room is cleared as the activity might upset the ship's balance.

Sri Lankan rebels operating under the name of The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, who have been fighting for an independent homeland in the north and east of the island, are said to have engineered the un­derwater explosion.

Text 3. A ship involved in a collision in the English Channel had failed a number of safety checks around the world

Serious deficiencies were found on board the 23,000-tonne bulk carrier the General Grot-Rowecki during inspections in Canada, Norway and Belgium.

The Maltese-registered carrier was in a collision with the chemical tanker Ece about 30 miles off Guernsey.

The General Grot-Rowecki, built in 1985, was detained for two days after an inspection in the port of Quebec in 2003. Problems were found with fire doors, its engines, safety equipment and paperwork. Oil pollution prevention equipment was also found to be inoperative. Other checks in 1998 and 1999 also resulted in the ship being held in ports. Six deficiencies were found when the ship was inspected in the port of Belfast in 2004, but the vessel was allowed to leave.

The details of the accident were not known and the owners refused to comment on the ship's safety record.

The other ship involved in the collision – the 8,131-tonne Ece, which is now in danger of sinking – has also been inspected, but has a better safety record.

Twelve people were rescued from the vessel by a coastguard helicopter based at Lee-on-Solent and another 10 by the St Peter Port lifeboat from Guernsey.

The Ece's operator has not commented on the collision or the vessel's record.

More than 140,000 ships pass through the Channel each year. In 2001, there were more than 360 contraventions of collision prevention regulations in the Dover Strait.