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SCIE 131 Assignment 6-1
The Exxon Valdez Incident
On March 24, 1989 the Exxon Valdez ran aground on Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound. The oil tanker had encountered icebergs and steered out of the shipping lanes to avoid them. Captain Hazelwood had given Third Mate Gregory Cousins instructions on when and where to steer back into the shipping lanes. It is still unclear why the turn back to the shipping lane was not made. Extensive investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed several contributing factors:
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