Video (1min 14sec): Oil bubbles point to eco-disaster in paradise. Oil bubbling out of shipwrecks in Micronesia could destroy the local biodiversity and economy. Hoyo Maru, oil leak from 12 Meter depth, July 31, 2008. Here in Micronesia, "marine archeologists recently discovered a ribbon of oil 5 kilometers long.
"When the followed it's trail, they were surprised to find it was bubbling up from a Japanese oil tanker that had sunk during the Second World War. There are fifty two ship wrecks in the lagoon and no one knows how much oil they contain.
"Japanese historical documents aren't easy to access. But this large leak is worrying because it could confirm some recent predictions. Corrosion experts recently assessed the wrecks in 2006 and 2007 and warned that the ships oil tanks could soon break apart. Small leaks in the area have already damaged mangroves, but if larger quantities seep out, it could be devastating for the local bio-diversity and economy.
"The problem is the amount of fuel remaining in the boats has to be assessed and possibly pumped out..."
