On 15 February 1996 the Sea Empress, bringing crude oil to Milford Haven in south-west Wales, ran aground and over the following week released 72,000 tonnes of crude oil and 480 tonnes of fuel oil into the sea. Despite a rapid and effective clean-up response at sea, oil came ashore along 200 km of coastline – much of it in a National Park – in an area of international importance for its wildlife and natural beauty.