Adding to the tragedy, six crew members from the ship were lost during a rescue attempt when the helicopter trying to retrieve them crashed. We are incredibly saddened for the families of the missing crew.

The spilled oil threatens a nearby wildlife refuge home to such species as sea otters, harbor seals, halibut and tanner crabs. Though this oil spill is small compared to Exxon Valdez, the type of oil is difficult to break up and the accident's proximity to a wildlife refuge makes it particularly dangerous.

Greenpeace is on the scene, meeting with residents and the local fishing community and offering wildlife and oil spill experience when needed. It is our hope the focus of this disaster will not solely be on oil spill response, but more importantly on preventing such accidents before they happen.

Our pictures of the shipwreck site are now available to view.