Major oil spill fears in Indian Ocean
A Japanese tanker may have spilled more than 4,500 tons (31,500 barrels) of crude oil in the eastern Indian Ocean near the Nicobar islands following a collision with a cargo ship, the tanker’s operator announced today.
Japan’s Kyodo news service said the spill – which would be about 4.9 million litres (1.3 million gallons) – may have been the largest ever involving a Japanese tanker.
The Bright Artemis tanker spilled the oil following a collision with the Amar, a smaller cargo ship, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines said in a statement. It said the tanker had manoeuvred near the Amar, which was in distress about 500 kilometres (300 miles) west of the Nicobars.
The exact amount of the spill was not clear, the announcement said. The tanker was carrying about 250,000 tons (1.76 million barrels) of crude. It had left port in Oman bound for Japan.
There were no reports of injuries aboard the tanker, which had a Croatian captain and crew of 23, or the Amar, which was registered in Singapore.
The remote Nicobar islands are located off the east coast of India. Mitsui said the spill had been reported to Singaporean and Indian Coast Guard officials.
