BEIJING, 22 Jan 2018:
China’s maritime authority has detected several oil slicks in the East China Sea, close to the location where an Iranian tanker sank one week ago.
The State Oceanic Administration (SOA) said in a statement a 5.4km-long, 1.4km-wide oil slick was seen about 5km northwest of the tanker’s location yesterday.
The SOA said a day earlier that a 4km-long, 400m-wide oil slick was sighted about 5km southeast of the tanker’s location.
Satellite data showed three oil slicks totaling about 332 sq km within the monitored area. The largest measured about 328 sq km.
The SOA will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates.
The Panama-registered, Iranian-owned oil tanker Sanchi – carrying 113,000 tonnes of light crude oil – collided with the CF Crystal – a Hong Kong-registered bulk freighter – about 300km east of the Yangtze estuary on Jan 6 and sank on Jan 14.
The 32 crew members onboard the tanker – 30 Iranians and two Bangladeshis – were lost.
– Bernama