Spills
Irish sea, south wales
Christos Bitas; Irish Sea, South Wales · NOAAORR-6246
- issued
- 1978-10-12 00:00Z
- status
- cancelled 1978-10-26 00:00Z
- self-cancels
- 1978-10-26 00:00Z
- authority
- NOAA OR&R
- sea
- Celtic Sea
- position
- 51.717, -5.667
- vessels
- TANKER COMPANY · 2 messagesTANKER FLOATED FREE
- source
- incidentnews · first seen 2026-09-03 15:09Z
Original warning text
Christos Bitas; Irish Sea, South Wales. Irish Sea, South Wales. 1. At 1634 on October 12, 1978, the Christos Bitas ran aground on rocks approximately 10 miles off Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, Wales. After about half of its tanks ruptured, the tanker floated free of the rocks. The master of the vessel requested assistance from Her Majesty's Coast Guard in controlling the spilled oil, and the Christos Bitas continued for Belfast, its planned destination. The tanker was stopped at 52 25 N, 005 40 W at the request of British Petroleum Tanker Company, the owner of the cargo, and H. M. Coast Guard. The tanker was carrying 257,250 barrels of heavy Iranian crude oil. Approximately 21,990 barrels spilled into the Irish Sea. Nearly all the cargo was offloaded to other vessels, and the Christos Bitas was scuttled in the North Atlantic on October 31, 1978. Oil impacted some beaches in South Wales, as well as on Skomer Island, and the North Devon coast. [...] 2. COMMODITY: HEAVY IRANIAN CRUDE OIL. MAXIMUM POTENTIAL RELEASE: 924000 GALLONS. 3. POSITION 51.717N 005.667W. NOAA INCIDENTNEWS 6246: https://incidentnews.noaa.gov/incident/6246
This area · spills & pollution incidents
9 within 180 nm since 1967 · 0 in the last 12 months · 0 in force now
67
70
75
80
85
90
95
00
05
10
15
20
22
- Salvage and pollution response operations in progress until further notice in vicinity 50-19.60N 004-14.70W2022-11-29
- Salvage and pollution response operations in progress until 16 nov by M/V willchallenge in vicinity…2022-11-13
- Dangerous wreck in 49-52.3N 002-23.8W marked by north cardinal pillar light buoy with RACON 49-53.5N…2000-11-04
- Dangerous wreck reported in 49-52.2N 002-24.0W2000-11-01
- On march 7, 1980, the tanker tanio, carrying 190,580 barrels of no1980-03-07
- Dover strait, pas de calais, english channel1975-11-12
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
- Saint ives northwestwardsOther · 80 nm
- Fowey light 50-19.60N 004-38.90W unreliableNav aids · 91.9 nm
- Fowey light 50-19.6N 004-38.9W unreliableNav aids · 91.9 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.