The crippled tanker that leaked 3,000 tons of oil on to coast of north-west Spain is now a Portuguese problem.
The Prestige, with 74,000 tons of fuel oil still on board, has been towed 114 miles into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Finisterre.
The Spanish government, which refuses to allow it to be towed to any of its ports, today told Lisbon the tanker was now in a zone for which Portugal was responsible.
There are still fears along that Spanish coast that there could be a major ecological disaster if salvagers do not tow the tanker Prestigefurther away.
Another tank on the vessel was reported to have cracked down and leaking oil into the ocean.
The Prestigecracked its hull in a storm last Wednesday and parts of the sea were covered in a dark layer of fuel oil estimated at up to 15 inches thick along 60 miles of the Coast of Death, as the shoreline is known because of many shipwrecks.
Regional authorities have temporarily banned fishing in an area famous for its shellfish, octopus and crabs.
But the government's decision to tow the Prestigeto sea and set up skimmers and barriers, and the shift of winds to push the oil away from land, have kept north-west Spain cleaner than many had anticipated.
"We've increased the floating barriers to 11 miles, the skimmers are working and a French pollution-fighting ship is on its way to help us clean the spill. We are optimistic," said an Interior Ministry spokesman.
Most of the 77,000 ton cargo remains on board the 26-year-old tanker, whose crew was evacuated and engines turned off because the vibration threatened to worsen the 50 ft long crack which is below the water line.
The tanker's Greek captain, Mr Apostolus Maguras, was jailed last night after five hours of questioning by a judge.
He is accused of disobeying authorities and harming the environment. Earlier, maritime authorities alleged he failed to cooperate with rescue crews after issuing a distress call.
For hours, as the Prestigedrifted perilously close to shore, Mr Maguras refused to let tugboats secure cables to his stricken ship, officials said.