Spills

First narrows, strait of magellan

Metula; First Narrows, Strait of Magellan · NOAAORR-6220

issued
1974-08-09 00:00Z
status
cancelled 1974-08-23 00:00Z
self-cancels
1974-08-23 00:00Z
authority
NOAA OR&R
sea
South Pacific Ocean
position
-52.567, -69.683
source
incidentnews · first seen 2026-09-03 15:09Z

Original warning text

Metula; First Narrows, Strait of Magellan.
First Narrows, Strait of Magellan.
1. On August 9, 1974, at 2220, the VLCC (Very Large Crude Carrier) Metula ran hard aground on Satellite Bank, at the western end of First Narrows in the Strait of Magellan near the southern tip of South America. The vessel was traveling from west to east at nearly fifteen knots and came to a stop in approximately 260 feet (the Metula was over one thousand feet long and ordinarily required three miles to stop). Oil immediately began pouring into the water from ruptured cargo and fuel tanks. Keyword: Air-Deliverable Anti-Pollution Transfer System (ADAPTS), lightering..
2. COMMODITY: LIGHT ARABIAN CRUDE OIL, BUNKER C.
3. POSITION 52.567S 069.683W. NOAA INCIDENTNEWS 6220: https://incidentnews.noaa.gov/incident/6220

This area · spills & pollution incidents

2 within 180 nm since 1974 · 0 in the last 12 months · 0 in force now

74
75
80
85
87

Season · when spills & pollution incidents happen here

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

month of issue, all years in the archive

Nearby now · within 120 nm

Worldwide now

8 spills & pollution incidents in force · see all

Spills

Oil and chemical spills, groundings and vessel casualties with a pollution threat: NOAA IncidentNews responses since 1957, and spill-response areas broadcast as navigational warnings. All current spills & pollution incidents →

Not for navigation. This is a re-rendering of an official navigational warning for awareness; mariners must use official NAVAREA broadcasts and their national MSI service.