Environmental Protection Ministry says large chunks found on Neve Yam Beach, several other locations in northern Israel; cleanup efforts in progress

21 sea turtles were brought to the National Sea Turtle Rescue Center, but most were already dead from tar; now the lucky remaining 6 are recovering alongside other injured turtles

Environmental Protection Minister Gila Gamliel tweets that Israel has 'laid its hands' on the vessel responsible for tar polluting country's coastline, doesn't name ship

As more tar washes up on beaches, ministry seeks companies that can map contamination, establish cleanup priorities, offer ways to help to get hard-to-remove tar off rocks

Environmental advocacy body Adam Teva V'Din calls on Environment Ministry to update public 'in real time' and 'with maximum transparency'

Greenpeace says spillages are 'a stain on the government' for consistently ignoring calls to monitor and prepare for toxic pollution

Environmental Protection Ministry team checks Minerva Helen in Piraeus port, eliminates it from list of dozens of tankers under investigation for massive tar contamination

Environmental Protection Ministry officials sent to Greece to investigate vessel suspected of causing massive oil spill and subsequent environmental disaster

From large patches clinging to algae to tiny droplets in the sand, the dark, sticky chemical is defying painstaking efforts to decontaminate almost the entire coastline

Responding to accusation of lagging in both cleanup and investigation, official says 'no one in the Mediterranean knew about it'; says at least 5 ships suspected