Emergency declared after oil spill in Mediterranean

Officials are worried the oil could wash up on tourist beaches just as the season starts

The leak originated in Genoa (Getty)

A local emergency has been declared on the north-west Italian coast after hundreds of tonnes of oil from a spill at a refinery reached the Mediterranean.

There are fears the oil, originally spilled a week ago, might wash up on the beaches of either the Italian or French rivieras just as the tourist season opens.

“The situation is complicated. We do not know how much crude could end up in the sea,” a local civil protection officer, Gianni Crivello told local media.

The mayor of Genoa said efforts to contain the spill appeared to have been successful.

“The situation is delicate but under control," said the Italian transport minister, Graziano Delrio.

A leak at a refinery near Genoa last Sunday allowed a large amount of oil into the River Polcevera. Barriers erected to stop the opil reaching the sea failed after heavy rain on Saturday. New barriers were erected today.

Italian officials said they were watching the progress of a slick two kilometres long and 500 metres wide which appeared to be floating slowly westwards towards France.