Chemical Spill In Malaysian Waters
Facing an unknown amount of spillage of a chemical they can't see and which can burn their skin on contact, salvage crews moved cautiously on Friday to plug a leak in tipped-over tanker.
As they did, fishers whose only income was severed when Wednesday's spill poisoned seafood farms and breeding grounds near their village lined up for hastily arranged aid and asked for compensation.
Authorities halted plans on Friday to begin pumping the industrial solvent phenol from the Indonesian-registered MT Endah Lestari, which is lying on its side in shallow water near a busy shipping lane between Singapore and Malaysia, saying that moving too fast to clean up the spill could make it worse.
The ship has leaked an unknown amount of its cargo of 600 (metric) tons of phenol since it toppled within 50 meters (50 yards) of partially submerged cages built of wood and netting that used to breed mussels, grouper and other seafood by residents of Kampung Pasir Putih.
"The fish died instantly, in a split second," said Zainal Bin Othman, 52, who has been fishing here for 35 years. "Everything died. There are no fish at all now, you can wait all day now, no fish."
He said he has no income now because of the spill. Previously, on a good day, he could catch up to 300 ringgit (dlrs 79) worth of fish a day.
Authorities in Singapore and Malaysia barred the sale of seafood from the zone and warned people not to go into the water.
Tengku Bakry Tengku Johan, director of Malaysia's Environment Department in Johor state, said Friday that phenol was still leaking from the ship and a tanker had been brought alongside to receive whatever is left of the cargo.
But Damon Nori Bin Masood, deputy general manager of the Johor Port Authority, said the transfer had not started because setting up pumps could make the leak worse.
"We may bring the ship upright, but it could create another problem — maybe the lead would open bigger," Damon told The Associated Press.
A team from Singapore-based Kasel Salvage Pty. Ltd. was at the site and will recommend a plan soon, Damon said.
Phenol is colorless and mixes easily with water, making it impossible to determine the size of the spill until all of the remaining cargo has been recovered and measured.
Phenol is used mostly in making plastics but also as a disinfectant in mouthwash and other products. It can cause diarrhea if ingested and blisters and burns if applied directly to the skin. But it also dilutes and evaporates quickly. Experts say the contaminated area may return to normal before long.
Tengku Bakry said water samples and fish samples were tested daily to determine pollution levels.
Officials said the accident may have been caused when the cargo shifted, unbalancing the ship. When it began listing, it was towed out of the shipping lane toward the fishing village.
Damon defended that decision, saying that even if phenol was spilled in the middle of the channel it would have reached the fsh farms.
Malaysian officials were in the village Friday, taking names and details to identify those most in need of help. Dozens of fishermen who would normally have been tending their nets sat in a cafe, discussing the spill.
By DEAN VISSER
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