Oil spill risk as ship sinks following collision

The collision between the northbound Hai Dat 36, carrying 2,500 tons of rice, and the southbound Phuc Tinh 26, carrying 3,260 tons of metal sheets, happened at Phan Rang Gulf of Ninh Thuan Province, about 12 kilometers from the shore.

The vessel carrying metal sheets sank as a result, with eight crew members abandoning ship, before being rescued by the other ship. They were later taken to Cam Rang Port of Khanh Hoa Province nearby.

At the point of the incident, the ship still had around two tons of oil on board. When crew members abandoned the vessel, they did not have enough time to lock the barrels, making an oil spill possible.

Tran Quoc Nam, chairman of Ninh Thuan People’s Committee, on Thursday requested the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment to cooperate with relevant authorities to inspect the scene and prepare for possible oil leakage.