On March 24, 1989, the oil tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground in Prince William Sound, Alaska, unleashing an environmental catastrophe that would become one of the most notorious ecological disasters in modern history. Captain Joseph Hazelwood, who had allegedly been drinking earlier that evening, was not even on the bridge when the massive vessel struck Bligh Reef, spilling approximately 10.8 million gallons of crude oil into the pristine Alaskan waters.
The tanker's third mate, Gregory Cousins, was at the helm when the ship deviated from the standard shipping lane, striking the reef and ripping open its hull. Within hours, a dark, viscous nightmare began spreading across 1,300 miles of coastline, decimating local wildlife populations. Approximately 250,000 seabirds, 2,800 sea otters, 300 harbor seals, and countless fish perished in the aftermath.
The ecological and economic impact was staggering. Exxon spent over $2 billion on cleanup efforts, and the legal battles would drag on for decades, ultimately costing the company billions more in settlements and fines. The disaster fundamentally transformed maritime safety regulations and environmental protection policies, serving as a stark reminder of industrial vulnerability and humanity's precarious relationship with nature's delicate ecosystems.
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