Smit, which in charge of salvaging Prestige before it sank, said the operation - to pump the oil back to the surface - would cost nearly 50m euros and take several months to complete.

BBC: French sub to try patching Prestige

Divers brought it to the surface and then took it to a spot off Kent, during a "delicate" seven-hour operation.

BBC: Huge explosion as experts detonate large WWII mine