A sunken World War II-era tanker that may be loaded with more than 3 million gallons of oil was recently discovered on the edge of the Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary. A spill from the tankers' rotting holds could do all kinds of damage. The Coast Guard says the best thing to do is leave the tanker alone. NPR's John Nielsen explains why. The tanker Montebello was sunk 55 years ago today by a Japanese submarine.
Copyright 1996 NPR
