Cargo ships collision causes damage to ecosystem near Chennai, Coast Guard to rescue
MT Dawn tanker Kancheepuram an inward bound ship collided with MT BW Maple a Liquified Pertroleum Gas Carrier about 12 fathom into the sea.
In Short
- MT Dawn tanker collided with MT BW Maple a LPG Carrier about 12 fathom into the sea.
- Coast Guard immediately mobilised the Pollution Control Team after communication.
- Officials consider this accident to be caused by human error.
The collision of an oil tanker and an LPG carrier near Ennore port, 20km away from Chennai has lead to death of a large number of fish and turtles near Ernarvur beach.
On early Saturday morning, MT Dawn tanker Kancheepuram an inward bound ship collided with MT BW Maple - a Liquified Pertroleum Gas carrier about 12 fathom into the sea.
Inititally, officials from the Kammaraj port said that there was no damage to life nor any oil spill and that the ships were stable and afloat.
But after residential fishermen smelled an oil based stench, authorities were informed. It was found that there was heavy furnace oil spill of close to a ton when fire broke out on MT Dawn Kancheepuram.
Also read: Chennai: Cargo ships collision pollutes ecosystem near Ennore, Coast Guard swings into action
The Coast Guard immediately mobilised the Pollution Control Team after communicating with the district collector and authorities from Pollution Board, Kamarajar Port and Fisheries department.
Contradicting the statement provided by Kamarajar Port authorities, Coast Guard confirmed of an oil spillage in a patch of 50m x 30m along the beach stretch.
The Coast Guard also initiated the mopping operation along with Oil MOP Skimmer and is expected to continue till Tuesday.
Officials consider this accident to be caused by human error and are expected to affirm it after a probe but call it a narrow escape as no major accident occurred causing human loss or polluting the sea.
However, residents of Chinnakuppam stated that close 35 turtles and countless fish were washed dead ashore covered with oil film causing panic among the fishermen hamlet.
Also read: LPG, oil-ladden ships collide off Chennai; 'not very grave', says Coast Guard
The dead turtles belonged to the endangered Olive Ridley species which visit the Marina coast to lay its eggs at this time of the year.