There are immediate fears of a major oil spill. The French forecast the arrival of the oil spill on shore on Christmas Day 1999. The French Environment Minister declares a disaster. The French Prime Minister promises to press for new laws governing tankers. The French are overwhelmed by the oil.
More oil comes on shore after tremendous storms.
The scale of the spill becomes clearer. Seabirds are affected as far away as Britain. As a result of the Erika spill, the Europeans threaten to ban single-hulled tankers. Story from the Environmental News Service, April 2000. Largely but not completely.