Rough seas thwart assessment of Unalaska spill

Rough seas thwart assessment of Unalaska spill    A pounding storm continues to disrupt attempts to deal with an oil spill in the Bering Sea just off Unalaska Island, 50 nautical miles from Dutch Harbor, Alaska.
   The spill was caused Dec. 8 when a soybean freighter, the 738-foot 'Selendang Ayu,' grounded and broke apart, having gone adrift after losing engine power. Six of 26 persons on board the vessel are believed to be missing.
   An unknown amount of the ship's 470,000 gallons of viscous fuel has leaked from both the separated bow and stern sections of the Malaysian vessel, which is owned by IMC Shipping. A company spokesman said the 'Selendang Ayu' was being towed when lines snapped between a tug and the freighter. Strong currents then pushed the vessel into shallow waters.