Fresh Erika Slicks Discovered Off French Coast

New oil slicks appeared at sea on March 7 off the western coast of France, above the spot where the Maltese-registered oil tanker Erika sank in stormy seas on December 12, officials said. Hundreds of small patches of oil, each about nine to 12 ft. long, have appeared on the ocean over a distance of about two to three miles, the officials said. Erika lies about 360 ft. below the surface, and the thousands of tons of oil still inside were scheduled to be pumped out of its hold this spring.