Oil spill threatens Sentosa Island's beaches and marine reserves
An oil spill occurred off the coast of southern Singapore that threatened the local nature reserves. The substance has been contaminated, among other places, including the shores of Sentosa Island, which is known for its paradisiacal beaches and numerous tourist attractions. The spill originated from a nearby shipping terminal on Friday afternoon. Efforts to mitigate the disaster's effects are ongoing.
According to Reuters, the oil has already spread beyond the resort areas and has reached the nearby marine reserve and other parts of Sentosa Island. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) reported that the oil has also infiltrated the island's internal waters, where there are luxury hotels, recreation areas, and Universal Studios Singapore.
The authorities are fighting the contamination by deploying special absorbent booms designed to soak up the oil before it permeates the environment. Specialized units are also operating in the region to combat the spill's effects.
The oil spill spread from the Pasir Panjang terminal located less than 10 kilometres from the popular tourist and residential Sentosa Island after a Dutch dredger collided with a Singapore-flagged bunker vessel on Friday afternoon.
Oil spill on the popular island off the coast of southern Singapore
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore stated in a release that part of the oil from the damaged cargo tank on the bunker vessel leaked into the water and that "the damaged cargo tank has been isolated, and the leak contained."
Unfortunately, as Reuters reports, due to tidal currents, some of the fuel has spread further. The incident occurred at the start of a long holiday weekend, during which both locals and tourists flock to the island.
Currently, the beaches remain open to visitors, but swimming and water sports are prohibited on some of them.
The oil spill is a growing ecological disaster that affects some of the region's most important and biologically diverse marine protected areas and fishing zones, emphasized Heng Kiah Chun, Greenpeace's regional representative.
