World
Scuba diving boat sinks off Ecuador's Galapagos Islands

QUITO, Ecuador: A scuba diving boat called the Albatroz sank on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) off one of Ecuador's ecologically sensitive Galapagos Islands but damage was minor and no one was hurt, officials said. The boat was carrying about 47 barrels of diesel fuel that left a 'superficial' slick, the Environment Ministry said. The national park suspended tourism activities around the city of Puerto Ayora, where its headquarters is located. Located in the Pacific about 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) off the coast of Ecuador, and famous for their giant tortoises, the Galapagos are a protected wildlife area and home to unique species of flora and fauna. The archipelago was made famous by British geologist and naturalist Charles Darwin's observations on evolution there.