Heavily oiled penguins at the end of their moult on Nightingale Island. Photograph by Trevor Glass, Head, Tristan Conservation Department

The heavily-laden 75 300-tonne ship, registered in 2009, was proceeding from Santos in Brazil to Singapore with a cargo of Soya beans.  A salvage tug is to leave Cape Town today and is expected to arrive at Nightingale on the 21st.

Meanwhile members of the Tristan Conservation Department are attempting to reach the site of the shipwreck to set rodent traps on the island as a precautionary measure but are currently being hampered by rough seas.  Although the ship's captain has stated it is free of rats, Nightingale is one of the few alien mammal-free islands in the Southern Ocean, and the arrival and establishment of rats would place its seabirds and land birds at severe risk.

Early this morning rough seas were also stalling the evacuation of the full complement of the ship's crew to a crayfish fishing vessel that is standing by.  Waves are now starting to break over the grounded ship and the first signs of spilled oil have also been noticed: bad news especially for the island's penguins.

Nightingale supports important populations of Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatrosses Thalassarche chlororhynchos (c. 1000 pairs, endemic to the Tristan Group) and of Sooty Albatrosses Phoebetria fusca (c. 200 pairs).

Here is the latest news in chronological order:

**18 March  09h00 SAST:  The whole crew has now been taken off the grounded ship.  The salvage tug Smit Amandla has left Cape Town with an environmental advisor and equipment to treat oiled birds aboard.  One concern expressed has been that if salvage efforts require the use of powerful night lighting, it will attract nocturnally-visiting burrowing petrels which could result in mass fatalities.  The MS Oliva is described as being down at the bow with a list to port and with water in her engine room.  She has lost one of her lifeboats.  The report of "quite a lot of oil now in Petrel Bay and around the vessel" is of concern since large numbers of Endangered Northern Rockhopper Penguins Eudyptes moseleyi are currently present ashore on Nightingale and Middle.  The ACAP-listed albatrosses of Nightingale Island and its two islets are less likely to become oiled, but Southern Giant Petrels Macronectes giganteus that visit the island's inshore waters may be at some risk.

** 18 March 12h30 SAST:  "MS Oliva broke her back in the force of a relentless swell and the wreck of the ship's superstructure is now breaking up. Flows of oil are all around Nightingale's coast. The onshore Tristan Conservation Team of Simon Glass, Wayne Swain and Matthew Green are busy assessing damage to Nightingale's seabirds. This late summer season is crucial as all adults are flying daily from their nests to catch fish, squid, etc. to feed their rapidly maturing chicks. The island has no land mammals and is regarded as one of the world's most important wildlife habitats. The World Heritage Sites of Inaccessible and Gough Island may also be at risk from oil pollution.  MV Edinburgh will this morning take on board an emergency assessment team which will travel to Nightingale to assess the situation for themselves. We expect a report and photographs later today. The team will be led by Administrator Sean Burns with Chief Islander Ian Lavarello and include Fisheries Officer James Glass, Search and Rescue Police Inspector Conrad Glass and Conservation Officer Trevor Glass."   Taken from http://www.tristandc.com/newsmsoliva.php.

**18 March  11h30 SAST:  Latest news from Tristan da Cunha is that the Viola has now broken in two and is leaking oil around the island.  The ship was carrying 1500 tonnes of heavy fuel oil. 

**19 March 19h15 SAST:  Oiled penguins have now been seen on Nightingale as they come out of the water onto the shore.  As yet no reports of oiled albatrosses or giant petrels have been received.

The Administrator of Tristan da Cunha, Sean Burns "reports an awful scene around Nightingale Island with oil from the stricken MS Oliva eight miles offshore and more or less around the whole island. The slick ranges from thin films of oil, small balls and larger clumps of tar with the smell of diesel everywhere".  The salvage tug Smit Amandla is due to arrive at the island on Monday the 21st.

"A second vessel is being chartered by the owners / their insurers to assist in the clean-up operation. The Environmental Adviser aboard the salvage tug may need to make a preliminary assessment before this second vessel sails to ensure correct equipment, materials and staff are on board for this complex operation in the isolated South Atlantic."  Taken from http://www.tristandc.com/newsmsoliva.php.

The Governor of St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, Andrew Gurr, speaking from St Helena, has said that the Tristan Government is committed to ensuring that the ship's owners will meet the full cost of any clean-up, damage or subsequent losses arising from the situation.

**20 March 14h30 SAST:  Oiled penguins have now been reported from nearby Inaccessible Island, a nature reserve, a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance and with Tristan's Gough Island, a World Heritage Site.  The island's surrounding territorial waters (out to 12 nautical miles) are included in these two international designations.  Hundreds of oiled penguins have now been seen on Nightingale.

Planning for the second vessel with an experienced oil-cleaning team aboard is proceeding apace in Cape Town by way of emergency meetings being held over the long weekend.  News of this activity will be posted soon.

**20 March 01h30 SAST:  The first report of an Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross "with oil spots on his chest and abdomen" being sighted on Nightingale Island has been received.  Pictures seen of penguins on the island's steep and rocky shoreline show heavy oiling. Planning for a response team to proceed to the island on the second vessel are proceeding in Cape Town over the weekend.

Scene of the grounding: Middle and Stoltenhoff Islets taken from Nightingale across Petrel Bay. Photograph by Peter Ryan

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