ERIKA TANKER TRIAL MOVES FORWARD

With the appeals court rejection of additional reports on the causes of the oil spill, the way has now been cleared for a full trial either late this year or early next year. Sixty civil plaintiffs are suing the French oil company, Total, which chartered the vessel.



The plaintiffs/victims of the oil spill have, thus far, been paid $128 million of the assessed $1.2 billion in damages. The plaintiffs have expressed anger after hearing that Total made a record $11.75 billion last year, and want to be compensated for their losses.



The "Erika" broke up in gale force winds and heavy seas off the coast of Brittany in December, 1999, spilling 10,000 tons of its 30,000 tons of heavy fuel oil. Experts concluded that the sinking of the tanker was caused by cracks in the ship's decking and bridge that could have been detected by compulsory inspections that the charting company was obliged to undertake.