Distressed Panamanian cargo spills oil in central region

Rescue forces have retrieved more than 350 tons of FO diesel from the nearly 500 tons of petrol aboard a Panamanian cargo ship which has been distressed at sea since October 2 off the coast of Phu Yen Province.

According to coastguards, bad weather has slowed the rescue progress and oil has spilled within a 25-hectare perimeter at sea. The ship New Oriental was transporting more than 10,000 tons of iron ore en route from Thailand to China when it hit a rock off Tuy An District’s An Ninh Dong Commune, which left a hole in its prow. Rescue forces are waiting for opportune weather to salvage the iron ore supplies from the vessel. Reported by Hung Phien