SS Wafra oil spill
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | SS Wafra |
| Namesake | Wafra |
| Owner | Getty Tankers |
| Operator | Overseas Tankship Corp |
| Port of registry | Liberia |
| Builder | Nagasaki Works, Mitsubishi Shipbuilding and Engineering Co |
| Launched | 7 August 1955 |
| Completed | 1956 |
| Identification | 1456 |
| Fate | Sunk by South African Air Force on 12 March 1971 to contain an oil spill. |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Oil tanker |
| Tonnage | 27,400 GRT (increased to 36,697 GRT or 68,600 DWT in August 1970) |
| Installed power | 17,600 shaft horsepower (13,100 kW) |
| Propulsion | Steam turbine |
The SS Wafra oil spill occurred on 27 February 1971, when SS Wafra, an oil tanker, ran aground while under tow near Cape Agulhas, South Africa. Approximately 200,000 barrels of crude oil were leaked into the ocean. The larger part of the ship was refloated, towed out to sea, and then sunk by the South African Air Force to prevent further oil contamination of the coastline.