Exxon Valdez Oil Spill
On March 24, 1989, the Exxon Valdez, an oil tanker owned by the Exxon Shipping Company, spilled 11 million gallons of crude oil into Alaska's Prince William Sound, resulting in a man-made disaster. Until the Deepwater Horizon oil leak in 2010, it was the worst oil spill in US history. Hundreds of thousands of seabirds, otters, seals, and whales died as a result of the Exxon Valdez oil spill, which covered 1,300 miles of shoreline. Some patches of crude oil have remained in some sites nearly 30 years later. Following the incident, the Exxon Valdez was renamed and operated as an oil tanker and ore carrier for more than two decades.
Investigators eventually discovered that the captain of the Exxon Valdez, Joseph Hazelwood, had been drinking and had permitted an unlicensed third mate to steer the big ship. Hazelwood was acquitted of felony charges in March 1990. He was found guilty of a single count of misdemeanor carelessness and sentenced to 1,000 hours of community service.
The Exxon Valdez oil spill is regarded as one of the most destructive environmental disasters perpetrated by humans. The losses incurred were enormous. Exxon spent $2.5 billion on the cleanup.
Total loss: $2.5 billion
