Thailand tackles second offshore oil spill in three weeks

world
Thailand Tackles Second Offshore Oil Spill In Three Weeks
An aerial view from a navy plane shows clean-up efforts off the coast of Rayong, © AP/Press Association Images
Share this article

By Associated Press Reporters

A second oil spill in less than three weeks is being tackled in the Gulf of Thailand.

An estimated 1,320 gallons is believed to have leaked 12 miles off the eastern province of Rayong – the same place where 5,800 gallons spilled into the sea on January 25.

Advertisement

The clean up from the earlier spill – from a mooring point – was declared finished last week, but only after some oil made it onto a beach.


Workers clean themselves down after scrubbing oil off rocks on Mae Ramphueng Beach
Workers clean themselves down after scrubbing oil off rocks on Mae Ramphueng Beach after the first spill in January (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

The new leak was reported on Thursday and believed to have come from an underwater pipeline to the mooring point, which was undergoing repairs according to its operator Star Petroleum.

Advertisement

Thai navy spokesman Vice Admiral Pokkrong Manathatphalin said three large slicks from the leak were detected, with chemicals being applied to disperse them.

Floating booms were also deployed, with Star Petroleum saying in a statement the situation is under control.

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha expressed his concern and ordered Rayong officials, the navy and the transport ministry’s marine department to urgently contain the problem, government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said.

Read More

Message submitting... Thank you for waiting.

Want us to email you top stories each lunch time?

Download our Apps
© BreakingNews.ie 2024, developed by Square1 and powered by PublisherPlus.com