Oil spill nightmare for Queensland coast

A cargo ship has lost tons of fuel oil off Queensland’s coastline, resulting in one of Australia’s greatest environmental disasters.

The Hong Kong-registered Pacific Adventurer, owned by Swire Shipping Ltd (SSL) of London, released what was initially said by the company to be over 11,000 gallons of heavy oil into the sea after containers of ammonium nitrate, a fertiliser, crashed onto the deck holing the fuel tank.

The ship was sailing from Newcastle to Indonesia when it encountered the aftermath of Cyclone Hamish off southeastern Queensland.

The government impounded the ship and threatened SSL with multi-million-pound legal action.

This may be the worst environmental disaster encountered said Anna Bligh, State Premier.

Under Australian law, SSL may be fined nearly AU$2 million (£1 million) and could incur damages up to an additional £117 million for environmental destruction.

Almost 40 miles of white sand beaches became black.

Clive Cook of the state Environment Protection Agency said yesterday only 13 animals covered with oil had been found.

They caught and cleaned three, a turtle, a wading bird and a pelican, off Moreton and Bribie islands in Queensland.

Cook said at present luck is with them but more wildlife will inevitably be affected.

The level of long-term damage is not yet clear.

The damaged area is a long way south of the Great Barrier Reef, which is not believed to be threatened.

Public access has been stopped by making 37 miles of coast an emergency area.

Bulldozers and other heavy plant yesterday began working to remove sand blackened by oil.

Graham Peachey, Chairman of The Australian Maritime Safety Authority said that the Pacific Adventurer was escorted to port still leaking oil, and would not be permitted to sail until is staff were sure the reasons for the spill were fully understood.

An SSL representative says that the spill is greater than the original figure of 11,000 gallons after its divers examined the hull.

However, SSL now stands accused by Queensland state officials, of giving misleading information.

Swire said it regrets the amount of pollution from the ship’s oil spills and it is making help available for the removal of the oil.

The Sunshine Coast has already suffered from weeks of awful weather, concluding with strong winds and heavy rain from Cyclone Hamish last week.