Huge fuel tanks loose in Antarctic

Six fuel tanks, weighing more than eight tons, are adrift on an iceberg which broke away from the Antarctic ice sheet.

Efforts by South African, Russian and German ships to recover the empty tanks have failed.

The bright orange tanks, which belong to South Africa, were placed on a huge ice shelf which extends into the Southern Ocean. It is thought global warming caused the ice shelf to break off.

South Africa's Finance Minister Trevor Manuel is reported to have told the country's parliament that the tanks are empty according to Channel Africa News.

Last updated: 16:28 Friday 13th October 2000.

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-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), October 14, 2000