Race to clean up oil spill after cargo ships collide off Corsica 

MARSEILLE: French and Italian civil and military teams were working to contain a spreading oil spill in the Mediterranean Monday after a container ship collision off the island of Corsica that prompted France to launch an investigation into "maritime pollution". The accident occurred early Sunday when a Tunisian freighter rammed into a Cyprus-based vessel anchored about 30 kilometres (20 miles) off the northern tip of the French island. The ship's hull was pierced and at least one fuel tank began leaking into the sea off the holiday island of Corsica. French Environment Minister Francois de Rugy said some 600 tonnes of propulsion fuel had spilled into the sea. He condemned the "abnormal behaviour" of the Tunisian ship in a press briefing at Corsica's Bastia airport after surveying the affected area by helicopter.