Spain to Lift Prestige Oil Using Robots, Shuttles

The area\'s picturesque beaches were coated in sticky fuel oil and fishing was suspended, while oil continued to leak from the ship, which lies nearly 2.5 miles deep.

Robots will cut holes in the ship\'s prow, fit valves and attach the shuttles to catch the rest of the fuel - an estimated 13,000 tonnes - as it flows out.

The aluminum shuttles, which can each hold a 10,500 cubic feet load, will lift the oil to a pipe 40 meters below the surface, which will carry it to a boat. The recovery will be managed by Spanish oil firm Repsol.

Labour minister and government spokesman Eduardo Zaplana said the operation would be complemented by a bio-rehabilitation program, but gave no further details.

The total cost of the salvage operation, which the government believes could be finished by next summer, is expected to reach nearly 100 million euros ($122.5 million).

Government figures from November showed only eight of more than 1,000 beaches were still affected. But environmental group WWF said in the same month that the oil spill could damage fishing, tourism and natural habitats for the next decade, at a cost of five billion euros.

The European Union has now banned Prestige-type single-hulled tankers from its ports, and the world\'s top maritime body, the United Nation\'s International Maritime Organization, has brought forward a deadline to phase them out.