Singapore Closes Beaches On Sentosa Island After Ship Incident

Authorities in Singapore closed beaches on Sentosa Island on the southern coast after an oil spill caused by a ship accident, officials and local media said on Sunday.

In a statement, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said Beachfront at East Coast Park and Labrador Nature Reserve – Jetty and Rocky Shore have been closed, while Sentosa, Tanjong, Palawan, and Siloso Beach remain open to the public, but sea activities and swimming are not allowed.

The oil spill at the Pasir Panjang Terminal was caused by a vessel allision when a Netherlands-flagged dredger struck a Singapore-flagged bunker vessel on Friday.

"MPA observed that oil had spilled from the damaged tank as a result of the allision and immediately activated response actions," it said, and added that the oil that escaped from the damaged tank had been treated by dispersants, and that no further leak observed from the vessel since last evening.

"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. There are no signs of oil slick within Sisters' Islands Marine Park but oil sheen was observed in the surrounding waters," said MPA.

Sentosa Island is a popular and famous tourist destination in Singapore.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid -