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Ecologists, soldiers and volunteers are working to rescue tar-coated sea birds and clear the sticky sludge which is blackening the coastline.

The accident has prompted urgent international calls for tighter controls on the movement of single-hulled oil tankers like the Prestige in coastal waters.

Winds forecast

Reconnaissance planes are flying over the area where the tanker sunk - which is 3.5km deep - to monitor the second slick. They are expected to determine the size of the spill which emerged on Tuesday.

	'Prestige' Built: 1976 Weight: 42,000 tons Cargo: 77,000 tons of oil Owners: Mare Shipping Registered: Bahamas Vulnerable vessel

Salvage workers believe it is the Prestige's own fuel that has leaked into the Atlantic Ocean, rather than its cargo.

It is feared that heavy winds forecast for the next few days - which reach up to 100 km/h in the area - will blow the slick towards the coast.

The UK Met Office, which has been issuing bulletins to shipping in the area, said Portugal was likely to take the brunt of the pollution.

"The Portuguese and north-west Spanish coast are at risk I would have thought - but primarily the Portuguese coast," said the Met's Martin Rowley.

Finger of blame

It remains unclear if the oil inside the Prestige will disperse if the ship breaks up further. So far, Spanish officials say, there have been no new leaks.

Companies make money by hiding behind flags of convenience in the event of trouble

Andrew, UK

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Environmentalists warn that if the entire cargo of some 77,000 metric tons spills, the resulting damage could be double that caused in the Exxon Valdez disaster off the coast of Alaska in 1989 - one of the worst ever.

Experts say the low sea temperature may delay the seepage of oil from the compartments that split and might even solidify the cargo.

The Spanish Prime Minister, Jose Maria Aznar, has vowed to make whoever is responsible pay for Spain's worst shipping disaster in 10 years.

But the Chief Executive of Smit Salvage, the Dutch company which tried to save the ship, has criticised the Spanish Government for its decision to move the ship away from the Spanish coast.

Major oil spills

Jan 1993: 85,000 tons off the Shetland Islands Dec 1992: 80,000 tons near La Coruna port in Spain March 1989: 38,800 tons off Alaskan coast 1979: 160,000 tons off Tobago March 1967: 119,000 tons off the UK

"The structural damage was certainly not improved by the five days of towing into heavy seas," Hans van Rooy said.

However, he said that the decision rested with politicians rather than scientists.

Single-hulled tankers are not due to be outlawed in Europe for another 13 years, but Spain has said it will push for the proposed European Union ban to be brought forward.