A POPULAR diving spot off Racha Yai Island will undergo a big cleanup this weekend, after its artificial reef was blanketed with cement powder and building materials thrown off a barge in distress last week.
Hotels and diving companies in the area reported the incident to the Phuket Office of Marine and Coastal Resources Conservation, which sent staff to investigate the reef, about 20 metres off Koh Racha's Plub Pla Bay.
Investigators found that some coral is already dying from being coated by cement that hardened in the water.
An officer said that after checking the spill site, they found a barge containing construction materials and equipment anchored nearby in Siam Bay.
The barge belongs to Namchai Sea Transportation Co.
The marine conservation officer said he was told by the company owner that the barge was transporting the supplies for construction of a hotel at Siam Bay.
As the barge was being towed towards shore, high winds caused large waves to wash over the vessel, the boat captain told marine conservation officers.
The driver tried to pull the barge out of the rough sea conditions but it began taking on a large amount of water, which quickly caused it to lose its stability.
As more water washed in, the construction materials were soaked, causing even more instability.
The captain called for barge workers to dump some of the materials into the sea to keep the barge upright.
The dumping occurred right on top of an artificial coral reef that is a popular scuba diving location, covering an area of about 200 square metres.
Staff from the marine conservation office found several bags of cement powder on the sea bed, as well as up to 10 bags that had broken open, mixed with the water and hardened over the coral reef.
Natural coral reef of the area was not damaged, said Lalita Patchim, marine biologist from the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, who joined the initial check of the site.
The nearest natural reef is about 30 metres away.
There has also been no apparent damage to other marine life, besides about five dead starfish that were found coated with cement.
Water samples were taken and will be studied in a lab to check on possible environmental effects.
Some of the coral has already been dusted off in an effort to try to restore it.
Tomorrow and Saturday there will be a clean up effort by marine conservation staff, local sea gypsies and divers who have volunteered to join the cleanup project, about 20 people in total.
The barge owner has agreed to pay to cover the cleanup cost.
Koh Racha's artificial reef was created in 2005 as part of an effort to restore tsunami-damaged coral and ease environmental pressures on the natural reefs.
Hotels and diving companies in the area reported the incident to the Phuket Office of Marine and Coastal Resources Conservation, which sent staff to investigate the reef, about 20 metres off Koh Racha's Plub Pla Bay.
Investigators found that some coral is already dying from being coated by cement that hardened in the water.
An officer said that after checking the spill site, they found a barge containing construction materials and equipment anchored nearby in Siam Bay.
The barge belongs to Namchai Sea Transportation Co.
The marine conservation officer said he was told by the company owner that the barge was transporting the supplies for construction of a hotel at Siam Bay.
As the barge was being towed towards shore, high winds caused large waves to wash over the vessel, the boat captain told marine conservation officers.
The driver tried to pull the barge out of the rough sea conditions but it began taking on a large amount of water, which quickly caused it to lose its stability.
As more water washed in, the construction materials were soaked, causing even more instability.
The captain called for barge workers to dump some of the materials into the sea to keep the barge upright.
The dumping occurred right on top of an artificial coral reef that is a popular scuba diving location, covering an area of about 200 square metres.
Staff from the marine conservation office found several bags of cement powder on the sea bed, as well as up to 10 bags that had broken open, mixed with the water and hardened over the coral reef.
Natural coral reef of the area was not damaged, said Lalita Patchim, marine biologist from the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, who joined the initial check of the site.
The nearest natural reef is about 30 metres away.
There has also been no apparent damage to other marine life, besides about five dead starfish that were found coated with cement.
Water samples were taken and will be studied in a lab to check on possible environmental effects.
Some of the coral has already been dusted off in an effort to try to restore it.
Tomorrow and Saturday there will be a clean up effort by marine conservation staff, local sea gypsies and divers who have volunteered to join the cleanup project, about 20 people in total.
The barge owner has agreed to pay to cover the cleanup cost.
Koh Racha's artificial reef was created in 2005 as part of an effort to restore tsunami-damaged coral and ease environmental pressures on the natural reefs.
