Soldiers collect oil-contaminated sand along the coast in Ha Tinh Province,
central Vietnam, December 1, 2019. Photo by VnExpress/Duc Hung. 

An oil spill covered over three km of Ha Tinh’s coast after a Thai ship sank near the Son Duong port last Saturday. 

Local authorities are cooperating with the Central Committee for Natural Disaster Management, and the Vietnam National Committee for Search and Rescue to contain the spill. They have dispatched personnel to the scene to try and prevent the environmental disaster from getting worse.

Pool floats have been set up around the shipwreck area and pumps used to move the remaining fuel in the sunken ship out onto barges.

Ha Tinh Province marine forces and the ship owner have also joined forces to make sure maritime traffic and local trading at ports go on smoothly.

Local fishermen and farmers have been advised not to use seawater at this time.

Oil spreads along the coast in Ha Tinh Province, December 1, 2019.
Photo by VnExpress/Duc Hung.

The operations are expected to end on December 15.

Nordana Sophie HSCP2, a cargo ship, departed from Hong Kong to Son Duong Port in central Vietnam with 18 Thai crew members.

As it neared the port early morning of November 28, the crew discovered that seawater had leaked into the ship through a hole in the hull. The ship sank soon afterwards.

Ha Tinh authorities deployed rescue boats and personnel after hearing about the incident. At noon, all 18 crew members were safely brought ashore.