This eventually resulted in the ship's bow tearing off, rupturing the forward storage tanks and causing an oil spill estimated at 17,700 tons, or 5.2 million gallons.

[4][5] The oil then caught fire, ignited by damaged electrical cables that were short-circuiting on the severed part of the bow.

[6][7] The condition of the ship was described as "very sick" by the salvage team, including repetitious and persistent equipment failure.

[9] A posthumous online tribute to Eliot describes the image as 'graphically bringing home the full drama of the occasion'.

[10] The incident was also the subject of a now-famous sketch on Australian comedy program Clarke and Dawe, titled "The Front Fell Off".