Oil Spill near Phuket: Container Ship Sealloyd Arc Sank with Hazardous Cargo

Near the popular resort of Phuket in the Andaman Sea, a major oil spill occurred following the sinking of the Panamanian container ship Sealloyd Arc.

Incident Details

The incident happened on February 7, west of the island of Ko Kaeo Yai, near Promthep Cape in southern Phuket. The vessel, which was traveling from Malaysia to Bangladesh, sank due to water ingress in the hull. There were about 300 containers on board, 14 of which contained hazardous substances threatening the environment and navigation[1][2][9].

Extent of the Spill

Aerial photography revealed an oil slick measuring 7.2 km in length and 1.6 km in width, drifting westward, away from the island's coastline. No pollution has been recorded along the shores of Phuket yet, but authorities warn of a potential threat to marine ecosystems, including coral reefs[3][5][6].

Rescue Operations and Government Response

All 16 crew members were successfully rescued and brought ashore. The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) is managing the cleanup efforts. A command center has been established to coordinate actions for containing the spill and assessing the damage[2][7].

• Recommendations for sailors: avoid the spill area, monitor AIS.
• Monitoring continues to prevent the spread of pollution.

The situation remains under control but requires prompt measures to minimize environmental damage.