SINGAPORE – Oil has been spotted washing up along the coast of East Coast Park, Keppel Bay, Lazarus Island and Sentosa’s beaches on June 15, a day after a damaged cargo tank leaked oil into the sea at Pasir Panjang Terminal.
Videos sent to The Straits Times on June 15 by readers showed thick, dark-coloured oil in the waters of Tanjong Beach and East Coast Park, staining the sand along the shoreline.
In an advisory on its website, Sentosa said: “The waters of Tanjong, Palawan and Siloso Beach on Sentosa are currently closed for beach cleanup, due to instances of oil spillage observed in the sea waters.”
It added: “During this period, guests can still use our beaches, but swimming and sea activities in and along the waters will not be allowed.”
In a statement on June 15, the Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) said it was first alerted to the presence of oil in the waters around Palawan Beach around 9pm on June 14.
“Upon detailed assessment this morning at around 7am, the spread has now been observed in waters throughout our beaches at Palawan, Siloso, Tanjong, as well as Sentosa Cove,” said the statement.
It added that all beach activities in and along the waters have been stopped, and the priority now is to minimise impact on the waters and surrounding wildlife.
“We will provide subsequent updates on the Sentosa website in due course.”