A Spanish court will on Tuesday start trying three people accused of causing one of Europe's worst oil spills when the Prestige tanker went down off north-west Galicia in November 2002.

The Prestige captain, Apostolos Mangouras, his chief engineer and the former head of Spain's merchant marine department are being held responsible for spilling 60,000 tonnes of crude oil into the Atlantic off Cape Finisterre. Prosecutors are demanding a 12-year prison sentence for Mangouras, now 77.

The Prestige split in half and sank six days after it ran into trouble during a heavy storm. Authorities in Spain, France and Portugal refused to allow the vessel into port and it was being dragged away into the Atlantic when it broke up.

Fuel washed up on beaches across northern Spain and parts of France, ruining local fishing grounds. Volunteers arrived from across the country to help army units clear up the mess left on northern beaches.

The damage caused by the spill is estimated at €3.9bn (£3.1bn), according to court documents. The Spanish state is asking for more than €2bn in compensation via the vessel's insurers. French authorities are also claiming damages. The judges have 280,000 pages of evidence to sift through.

The trial, in the north-western port city of La Coruña, is due to last at least a year, with 130 witnesses called to a special courthouse. Key issues will include the seaworthiness of the vessel and the refusal of authorities to allow it to sail into a safe harbour.Veteran sea captain Mangouras is backed by seafarers, who claim that he not only saved his crew but stayed with his ship and behaved in a model fashion.