European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 23, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday july 23, 1991 the stars and stripes b Page 9 a a a. I a huge Oil spill off Australia breaking up pert Australia up a prospects were improving late monday for averting an environmental disaster following a huge Oil spill from a fire damaged greek Tanker of the coast of Western Australia authorities said. Officials reported the threatening Oil Slick was Drifting slowly with prevailing currents away from Shore breaking up in Choppy seas and thinning through the High evaporation rate of the Light crude. The fully Laden Kirk was in route from the persian Gulf to British Petroleum soil refinery at Winana near Fremantle when it caught fire sunday and spilled More than 140,000 barrels of Oil into the Indian Ocean about 22 Miles off the coast and 124 Miles North of Perth. Crew members said they believed the fire that engulfed the Forward Section of the vessel was caused by friction when heavy seas and driving winds ruptured a Bow Section which broke away. High seas doused the flames. The Oil Slick some 35 Miles Long and More than three Miles wide has drifted 20 Miles out to sea the officials said but still under threat were the major West australian lobster Industry As Well As Large colonies of sea Lions and sea Birds that nest on a string of nearby islands stretching South from the Slick. But authorities were hopeful that prevailing favourable weather conditions would continue and assist the cleanup control and Salvage efforts. Winds abated monday and the Slick was Drifting slowly with the current away from the coast in a southwesterly direction said Mike Calway senior coordinator for the australian Marine safety authority. He emphasized however a change of wind could renew the threat of the Slick reaching Shore. Calway said the 97,000-ton Kirk was under slow Tow away from the coast and emergency Crews had managed to Seal off the remaining 420,000 barrels of Oil. He said the plan was to Tow the Kirk 600 Miles North to the shelter of the Monte the greek Tanker Kirk founders in the Indian Ocean after spilling More than 140,000 barrels of Oil on sunday. Bello islands and attempt to Siphon off the remaining Oil into another Tanker. Meanwhile 30 of the tankers 37 greek Crew who were put unharmed onto helicopters in a Rescue Effort sunday after the Tanker caught fire were transferred by bus to a Perth hotel. Seven other Crew members including the Captain and officers were standing by in the town ready to rejoin the Tanker when it was Safe enough to help super Vise Salvage operations. A this is a catastrophe Type proportion Oil spill a said capt. Richard Purkiss head of the West australian Marine and harbours department. A this is the worst category you could possibly have its a major major  All available Oil dispersal and control equipment was being rushed to the area monday from the australian Marine Oil spill response Center based in Mel Bourne. That included huge amounts of equipment dispersant chemicals Miles of containment booms skimmers and storage tanks for Oil recovery. The $8 million Center was set up just this year to combat major Oil spills off the australian coast. Major Bil companies including Ampol Bop Petroleum Cal Tex Oil Mobil Oil Esso and the Shell companies combined to set up the Center. German Crews ready to Fly . Observers around Iraq by Peggy Davidson Kaiserslautern Bureau Mendig Germany a three German army helicopter Crews Are on standby ready to deploy to Baghdad Iraq. The Mission for the three ch-53g helicopters and their Crews will be transporting . Officials around Iraq As they Monitor iraqi Leader Saddam Hussein a compliance with . Edicts. Under the . Cease fire terms that ended the persian Gulf War Iraq is required to disclose All its nuclear chemical and biological weapons capabilities in preparation for their destruction. The entire Mission is expected to last about three months although each Crew will be there Only for two weeks at a time said 1st it. Wolfgang Reimer a helicopter Pilot. The German Constitution forbids the participation of the country a military in deployments outside natos boundaries. But a spokeswoman for the German foreign ministry said the German army a Mission is not an a out of area action. A we Are Only putting our aircraft and personnel at the disposal of the United nations. Its similar to our action in Northern Iraq to help the kurd. The great majority of the persons Are not military but specialists. A was you know a the spokeswoman went on to say a the German internal debate about out of area actions by the bund Estehr continues. And until there is some solution there will be no bund Estehr action outside of the classic nato  col. Horst Burkowski commander of the 35th army aviation regt at the German army base at Mendig said the German defense ministry ordered the deployment. A the people will be operating under . Auspices. They will enjoy special status As . Troops on this Mission a Burkowski said through an interpreter. First it. Kurt Fiola a helicopter Pilot acknowledged that he had a mixed emotions about going to Baghdad but he emphasized a a we have to do it. The germans  stay out of the  Reimer added that he had discussed the Mission several times with his wife �?o1 Tell her it is important to go Down and see what Saddam is doing. She  the helicopters have been painted White to conform to All other . Vehicles. About 35 German aviators will take part in the Mission Burkowski said. The first group to go will be a fixed Wing or air plane Crew that will Fly into Bahrain. This group will gather information on flying in iraqi airspace for the helicopter Crews such As terrain maps and air traffic corridors Reimer said. The helicopters will probably follow within one or two Days Reimer said. Several pilots scheduled to take part in the Baghdad Mission also took part in the kurdish Relief efforts in Turkey. That experience May be Why they were selected for the . Mission Reimer said. The aircrews which have been on standby for several Days appear anxious to begin the Mission. A we should already be gone a said capt. Wolfgang Alt a German Pilot who also took part in operation provide Comfort in Turkey in referring to delays that have plagued the deployment. A we could be gone in two  the . Army has helped its German counterparts prepare for the Mission Fiola said. The 12th aviation regt in Wiesbaden Lent the German regiment external fuel tanks to increase the German helicopters Range. A we normally have a two hour endurance a Fiola said. A now we have four hour  staff writer de Reavis contributed to this article two japanese forced to resign in Stock scandal Tokyo apr the chairman and vice chairman of Nomura securities co., the worlds largest brokerage resigned monday after criticism that the company has not taken full responsibility for the scandal in Japan a Stock Market. Nomura a chairman Tetsuya Tabuchi and vice chairman Yoshihisa Tabuchi announced their resignations at a news conference and were demoted to the status of advisers the company said. The two Arp not related. Nomura has admitted to compensating major customers for millions of dollars in Stock Market losses and having had financial dealings with an organized crime figure. Yoshihisa Tabuchi had been Nomura a president until he resigned from the Post june 24 after the scandal broke. He then became vice chairman. In addition to Yoshihisa Tabuchi a earlier resignation As president Nomura and three other Large brokerages linked to the scandal a Nikko Uaiwa and Yamaichi securities a restricted business activities for four Days this month at the direction of the finance ministry. 1 the practice is not illegal but violated a 1989 finance ministry directive. It also infuriated investors who were not compensated. Share prices on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Slid monday for the fifth consecutive trading Day in extremely Light trading As the Market awaited a parliamentary investigation into the scandal thursday. It was the lowest turnover in a full Days trading since aug. 27, 1984