2 Chinese arrested for Aussie reef damage
Source: Agencies |
April 15, 2010, Thursday
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AUSTRALIAN police arrested a Chinese ship captain and senior officer yesterday and charged them with damaging the Great Barrier Reef, more than a week after their coal carrier ran aground and tore a 3-kilometer gash in the protected area.
The Shen Neng 1 veered out of a shipping lane and slammed into the reef on April 3, possibly smearing the coral with toxic paint that could prevent marine life from growing back. Even in the best-case scenario, experts said the damage could take 20 years to heal.
Coral shredded the ship's hull, causing it to leak 2-3 tons of fuel oil. Most of the oil was dispersed by a chemical spray and did little or no damage to the reef itself, but officials said yesterday they believe some of it has begun to wash up on the beaches of a wildlife sanctuary.
The Great Barrier Reef is a World Heritage site because of its gleaming waters and environmental value as home to thousands of marine species. The accident occurred in the southern tip of the reef, which is not the main tourism hub.
The Australian Federal Police said the ship's captain and the chief officer on watch during the accident would appear in court today.
"Investigations showed that the Shen Neng 1 failed to turn at a waypoint (a specific latitude and longitude) required by the intended course of the ship," the police said.
The 47-year-old shipmaster was charged with liability for a vessel causing damage in a marine park, an offense that carries a maximum A$55,000 (US$51,200) fine. The 44-year-old chief officer is charged with being in charge of the vessel when it caused the damage, and faces up to three years in prison and a fine of up to A$220,000.
Police executed a search warrant on the ship yesterday.
The ship's owners, Shenzen Energy Transport, said last week they were cooperating with the investigation.
Su Zengdong, the chief manager of TOSCO-KEYMAX, which is in charge of the vessel's technical management, said yesterday the company was "fully cooperating with the Australian side in the investigation and pollution control."
The 230-meter ship was successfully lifted off the reef on Monday after crews spent three days removing its fuel to lighten it. Salvage crews later towed it to an anchorage area near Great Keppel Island.
Before it was removed, tides and currents repeatedly pushed the ship along the reef, cutting a scar 3 kilometers long and up to 250 meters wide into the coral.
Paint from the hull, used to prevent marine life from growing on it, was also smeared into the reef. Experts are analyzing the paint to see if it contains toxic chemicals that prevent growth.
The Shen Neng 1 veered out of a shipping lane and slammed into the reef on April 3, possibly smearing the coral with toxic paint that could prevent marine life from growing back. Even in the best-case scenario, experts said the damage could take 20 years to heal.
Coral shredded the ship's hull, causing it to leak 2-3 tons of fuel oil. Most of the oil was dispersed by a chemical spray and did little or no damage to the reef itself, but officials said yesterday they believe some of it has begun to wash up on the beaches of a wildlife sanctuary.
The Great Barrier Reef is a World Heritage site because of its gleaming waters and environmental value as home to thousands of marine species. The accident occurred in the southern tip of the reef, which is not the main tourism hub.
The Australian Federal Police said the ship's captain and the chief officer on watch during the accident would appear in court today.
"Investigations showed that the Shen Neng 1 failed to turn at a waypoint (a specific latitude and longitude) required by the intended course of the ship," the police said.
The 47-year-old shipmaster was charged with liability for a vessel causing damage in a marine park, an offense that carries a maximum A$55,000 (US$51,200) fine. The 44-year-old chief officer is charged with being in charge of the vessel when it caused the damage, and faces up to three years in prison and a fine of up to A$220,000.
Police executed a search warrant on the ship yesterday.
The ship's owners, Shenzen Energy Transport, said last week they were cooperating with the investigation.
Su Zengdong, the chief manager of TOSCO-KEYMAX, which is in charge of the vessel's technical management, said yesterday the company was "fully cooperating with the Australian side in the investigation and pollution control."
The 230-meter ship was successfully lifted off the reef on Monday after crews spent three days removing its fuel to lighten it. Salvage crews later towed it to an anchorage area near Great Keppel Island.
Before it was removed, tides and currents repeatedly pushed the ship along the reef, cutting a scar 3 kilometers long and up to 250 meters wide into the coral.
Paint from the hull, used to prevent marine life from growing on it, was also smeared into the reef. Experts are analyzing the paint to see if it contains toxic chemicals that prevent growth.
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