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PRACHUAP KHIRIKHAN, May 18 (TNA) - The marine ecosystem in
Thailand's upper southern province of
Prachuap
Khiri Khan has been put jeopardy by an
oil tanker which capsized a week ago in fierce seas, just four
kilometers from the coastline of a
national park.
The large oil tanker was found by local fisheries and marine
resource officials, as they prepared to create an artificial coral
reef yesterday.
Completely upended, the Big C5 was traveling
from the southern
Surat
Thani
Province to Bangkok when it sunk on 10 May.
The crew of a boat which had been traveling
with the vessel said that they had attempted to salvage it and pull
it to shore, but had been unable to do so.
According to local reporters, the environmental damage from the
disaster is already apparent.
A film of oil now coats the surface of the water despite the fact
that the oil tanker was not said to have been carrying any oil at
the time of the accident.
Home to several species of dolphins, the area where the tanker
capsized is also thought to be a feeding ground for beluga whales.
Yesterday marine resources officials said that measures had been
taken to minimize the environmental damage.(TNA)--E006
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