Who: The masters of the 230-meter (750-foot) Shen Neng
What: A Chinese ship carrying coal hit the Great Barrier Reef causing severe damage to the coral on Reef, and threatening seabirds and green and loggerhead turtles, which are currently hatching and travelling down the beach..
When: 1:00 PM Saturday Australian time April 10, 2010.
Where: Great Barrier Reef close to Australia.
Why: It illegally strayed outside the shipping channels, and into the reef, which is a restricted area. Ships are not allowed near the reef.
Problem: The bottom of the ship damaged the coral reef. Additionally, oil is leaking from the ship which is threatening a breeding site for hundreds of thousands of seabirds and turtles. Heavy fuel oil leaking out of the giant ship, carrying 68,000 tons of coal to China, created a three-kilometer (two-mile) slick which was cleared with chemical dispersants.
Solution: The Australians collected some of the oil, but damage to the reef could take 20 years to recover.
