Today, 47 years ago, on March 17, 1978 (February 9, 1978), the super-tanker Amoco Cadiz crashed near Bretagne, France. On March 17, 1978, the super-tanker Amoco Cadiz crashed near Bretagne, France. The two tankers were broken, and the 250,000 tons of crude oil spilled formed a band of more than 1 km wide. The accident severely damaged the beaches and fish resources, and the smell of oil lasted for weeks above the small town of Portsall.