Cruise disaster: experts prepare to prevent oil spill by pumping fuel out of tanks Smit's experts said a slick seen spreading around the vessel was not engine oil, but liquid that had leaked from the ship's kitchens. Italy's environment minister has warned of the threat of an ecological disaster if the ship's tanks rupture and release fuel into the pristine waters around the island, which are popular with divers and snorkellers. Such a large quantity of oil would be likely to affect other islands within the Tuscan archipelago, which is one of Europe's largest marine national parks, as well as the Tuscan coast 18 miles away. The fuel extraction could start today as approved by Italian officials, the company said. To refloat the ship the gash in its hull would have to be covered with a welded steel patch and then water would be pumped out. Smit said any discussion about the fate of the ship - whether it is removed in one piece or broken up - would be decided by Costa Crociere and its insurance companies. It was not yet clear whether the cruise ship would ever be able to return to service. According to Mike Lacey, the secretary general of the International Salvage Union, divers will already be carrying out detailed surveys to assess how badly it has been damaged.