Oil began seeping from the Full City when it ran aground on Friday outside of Langesund in Telemark off Norway.

Booms were placed in the water to prevent the spread of the oil and Swedish resources have been deployed to help in the clean up operation.

Despite measure to prevent the spread aerial photographs taken on Saturday indicated that the leaking oil was moving south in a large belt towards the island of Jomfruland. Several beach areas and lakes have already been polluted with the oil with damage to bird life as a result.

The Panama-registered ship had over 1,000 tonnes of oil aboard at the time of the accident and large amounts remain and continue to leak.

The Swedish coastguard flew over the area yesterday to monitor the extent of the damaged area.

“I have no exact details but it is very big. One of our environmental protection vessels is on its way to Norway to help them collect the oil,” she told news agency TT.

“It (the oil) has covered islands and islets. The sea is shining blue and brown wher the oil is thicker and we have spotted a large number of birds covered in oil. There are thick tracts of oil as far as the eye can see,” the commanding officer of the Swedish vessel, Carl-Gustaf von Konow, told news agency TT on Sunday.

There is currently no clear indication that the oil is on its way towards the Swedish coast but time is of the essence as the coastal weather can change very fast.

The Swedish coastguard is on call to act if the wind changes and begins to blow the oil towards the Swedish coast.

“We shall help the Norwegians as best we can,” Ulrika Nilsson said