Case 1 Massive pollution feared as oil spill tanker Prestige sinks off spain The Bahamas-registered vessel, which was owned by a company registered in Liberia, was believed to have lost at least 6,000 tonnes of heavy fuel oil when it sank, leaving nearly 70,000 tonnes of the original cargo left in its tanks It had previously leaked 4,000 tonnes since last Wedneday when cracks began appearing in its single hull and oil slicks began washing up on Spanish shores. Deputy Prime Minister stressed that it was "premature to say what will happen". "First we must find out if the oil will remain in the tanks. and then we'll see he said. antonio cortes. a researcher at Spain' s Institute of Catalysis and Petrochemistry, said: Sinking is the best thing that could happen to the prestige"since the cold water and pressure of the ocean basin could solidify the oil and keep it from surfacingCase 1 Massive pollution feared as oil spill tanker Prestige sinks off Spain • The Bahamas-registered vessel, which was owned by a company registered in Liberia, was believed to have lost at least 6,000 tonnes of heavy fuel oil when it sank, leaving nearly 70,000 tonnes of the original cargo left in its tanks. It had previously leaked 4,000 tonnes since last Wedneday, when cracks began appearing in its single hull and oil slicks began washing up on Spanish shores. Deputy Prime Minister stressed that it was "premature to say what will happen". "First we must find out if the oil will remain in the tanks, and then we'll see," he said. Antonio Cortes, a researcher at Spain's Institute of Catalysis and Petrochemistry, said: "Sinking is the best thing that could happen to the Prestige" since the cold water and pressure of the ocean basin could solidify the oil and keep it from surfacing