Some beaches in Singapore have been shut after an oil spilled into the island nation’s waters last week. The effects of the leak have been seen at the luxury resort island of Sentosa and beyond, even threatening a marine reserve. Authorities have jumped to action to prevent the spill from spreading further.
The incident has also raised concerns about the impact on the environment and marine life. What happened? On Friday (14 June), a Netherlands-flagged dredger hit a stationary Singapore-flagged bunker vessel in the southern port of Pasir Panjang. As per authorities, the dredger boat Vox Maxima experienced a sudden loss in engine and steering control, leading it to strike the Singaporean fuel supply ship Marine Honor, reported Associated Press (AP).
This resulted in one of the cargo tanks on the Marine Honor rupturing and leaking low-sulphur oil into the sea. While the leak has been contained, “due to the tidal current, the treated oil has landed along shorelines including Sentosa, Labrador Nature Reserve, Southern Islands, Marina South Pier, and East Coast Park”, authorities said, as per Reuters. Restriction on beaches on Santosa island The beaches of the island resort of Sentosa have been affected due to the oil spill.
Sentosa, a popular resort island, is home to Singapore’s luxury hotels, golf courses and Universal Studios Singapore. While the beaches are open to the public, swimming and sea activities are not allowed at Tanjong, Palawan and Siloso beaches on the w.