from a trouble-stricken cargo vessel after crew bungled repair checks.

Now the captain and owners of the 12,000 tonne vessel could face a whopping $100,000 fine if taken to court and convicted of polluting the Island's waters.

Marine and Ports director Ron Ross has revealed to The Royal Gazette that the two-mile slick was the result of the Pascale Delmas crew checking that repaired holes were fully sealed -- after an emergency patch-up in Bermuda.

Marine and Ports Director Ron Ross said the 16-member crew on the 158-metre vessel tried to fill a tank with water to check that the tank was liquid tight. But they did not realise the tank already held a vast quantity of oil and an overflow resulted.

The ship's temporary repairs carried out in Bermuda were to be permanently fixed in the Lesser Antilles -- where it was now headed. "On investigation by Registry of Shipping Surveyors they admitted what had happened and the captain gave a full written statement on it,'' Mr. Ross said.

Ten days ago Shipping Registry inspectors detained the ship at Murray's Anchorage, St. George's, until repairs were made after Polish crew members complained to authorities about the vessel's overall safety.

The ship -- owned by Greek shipping company Enterprise Shipping & Trading -- was diverted to Bermuda after huge seas in the North Atlantic ocean damaged its hull and caused ballast tank problems.

It was originally carrying its general cargo from New York to Dakar, Africa.

Mr. Ross breathed a sigh of relief last night as the vessel moved further from Bermudian waters after it was released late on Sunday night.

"It would be at least 500 miles away by now on the way to Curacao where they have plans to get permanent repairs.'' He estimated so far Bermuda's clean-up operation would have cost around $25,000 but the ship's insurer Protection & Indemnity Club had now guaranteed to pay all costs incurred up to double that amount.

Environment Ministry engineer Dr. Thomas Sleeter said Fisheries wardens inspected the Grotto Bay and North Shore area yesterday and were satisfied the slick had completely dispersed. He particularly commended Shell Oil staff and members of the Bermuda Regiment for their efforts in the clean up.

"Luckily it was a very light oil -- a diesel fuel with a lube oil component -- so it rinsed away but if it had been a heavy oil it would have coated the shoreline and smothered organisms.

"Animals would have died, killed by toxicity and the narcotic effect.'' He said a portion of the spilled oil would by now have evaporated and some would have mixed into the sea water greatly dissolved.