MADRID: Gibraltar struggled on Friday to minimise any environmental impact of a fuel leak from a bulk carrier three days after it collided with a tanker, as reports of oiled birds emerged and several beaches in Spain and the British territory flew red flags.

The government of the enclave on the southern tip of Spain said all diesel fuel from tanks of the beached OS-35 had been removed. On Thursday, authorities started pumping heavy fuel oil from the vessel whose hull broke on Wednesday night.

Drone footage showed an oil slick extending way past the boom installed next to the vessel, but authorities said the leak had significantly diminished, with only sheening visible within the boom, but not collections of black oil as on Thursday.

Skimming operations inside the boom have removed some 12 tonnes (13.23 tons) of a mixture of oil and water.

It also deployed clean-up teams to remove oil from the shoreline.-Reuters