Updating Phuketwan Report: Photo Album Above
A FLOTILLA of boats was heading from Phuket today to the scene of the sinking of a vessel laden with 40,000 litres of diesel fuel. The transport boat sank in a wild storm off the south coast of the holiday island yesterday.
The 10 vessels are laden with foam and dispersants and will stand by as an attempt is made to assess the potential for the sunken fuel transporter to be raised, or for the fuel to be pumped up. Bad weather was continuing to lash the region on Sunday, making any recovery more difficult.
Twelve divers are involved in the assessment operation.
Officials have opted to act quickly to prevent an environmental disaster. While the diesel cargo does not have the high potential for damage of a cargo of oil, the sinking took place in a sensitive environmental zone.
Around it are breeding grounds for giant clams, coral reefs, and other marine life in abundance that attracts thousands of snorkellers and scuba divers to Phuket and its surrounding islands.
The sunken vessel is a fishing trawler, the Chotethaworn 6, adapted to carry fuel to Racha Yai island and other destinations that rely on diesel power. A crew of four escaped as the ship capsized and went down, and were safely plucked from the stormy seas.
Fuel from the sinking ship rose to the surface, but the cargo of 40,000 litres of diesel fuel is still thought to be encased on the bottom of the ocean. It sank at first to a depth of 30 metres but has since slid lower to rest at 43 metres down.
Royal Thai Navy officers, officials from the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, the Department of Marine Coastal Resources, the Phuket Marine Biology Centre and Marine Police met last night and again early on Sunday to try to work out how to avoid an environmental disaster off Phuket.
Three Navy vessels, two vessels from the Phuket Marine Biology Centre at Cape Panwa, and three Marine Police vessels were heading on Sunday with other boats to the site of the sinking, 10 nautical miles off Phuket's south coast.
They are carrying thousands of litres of foam and dispersants. A helicopter will oversee the site, looking for fuel signs on the surface.
Racha Yai island, home to the five-star Racha Resort, lies about 45 minutes by speedboat to the south of Phuket. That was believed to be the destination for the transporter when it went to sea despite storm-warning conditions yesterday.
Officials on Phuket laughed off reports that a large ''oil'' spill was ''drifting towards Phi Phi.''
Fuel Crisis Latest The sinking of a fuel boat in a freak Phuket storm sparks danger of a fuel spillage off southern Phuket. Authorities were meeting in a crisis session Sunday morning.
Phuket Fears Enviro Disaster: Fuel Crisis Sunday Summit
Give Greater Phuket's Two-Headed Turtle a Name
PHOTO ALBUM Phuket has a new animal emblem, a two headed turtle in need of a name. The unusual tootle is being given star treatment at a Royal Thai Navy base north of Phuket
Give Greater Phuket's Two-Headed Turtle a Name
Phuket Coral Reefs Still Hostage to Sunshine
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Phuket Coral Reefs Still Hostage to Sunshine
Similans Seem Set for World Heritage Listing
Latest Phuket and the Andaman coast's prime dive destination, the Similan Islands, is being checked by an international working party, with World Heritage listing as the prize.
Similans Seem Set for World Heritage Listing
Tears as Phuket Wins Back Three Lost Fishermen
Latest The vastness of the ocean would have been among the thoughts going through the minds of three Phuket men lost at sea and contemplating death when they heard the sound of a helicopter.
Tears as Phuket Wins Back Three Lost Fishermen
First: It is really nice to see the reaction of the Thai authorities. That is a proper response. Good.
It is like these guys who go swimming with a red flag and personal warning and have to be rescued. The captain should lose his licence (he has one?) and a hefty penalty for doing the journey with dangerous goods while there was a explicit warning out. The destination, if put pressure or special incentives on the boat to deliver, should pay for the pumping operation, including the damages and safety procedure now taken place. Send a ship into harms way and the rest of the Thai taxpayers have to pay, does not sound right to me.
And last: Waves of 4 m height constitute a storm here, really?
Posted by Lena on September 5, 2010 12:42