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You are here: Home / History / What did the Exxon Valdez oil tanker hit in Alaska that caused the huge oil spill?

What did the Exxon Valdez oil tanker hit in Alaska that caused the huge oil spill?

April 6, 2020 by Karen Hill

The Exxon Valdez oil tanker hit a reef in Alaska, not an iceberg in 1989.

They have reefs in Alaska, too, you know.

The oil spill was one of the biggest in history and was also one of the largest environmental and ecological disasters, killing many wildlife and taking years to clean up completely.

At least 10 million U.S gallons of oil was spilled. After litigation, Exxon was ordered to pay millions of dollars in damages.

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Filed Under: History

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

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