Indonesian tanker capsizes, spills toxic chemicals

Indonesian tanker capsizes, spills toxic chemicals

KUALA LUMPUR (Agencies): An Indonesian tanker laden with a
toxic chemicals capsized off Malaysia's southern Johor state near
Singapore, leaking pollution and killing thousands of fish,
officials said on Thursday.

The 533-ton MV Endah Lestari sprung a leak shortly after
leaving the Johor port of Pasir Gudang early on Wednesday, said
the marine director for southern Malaysia, Hazman Hussein.

It was on its way to East Kalimantan with some 600 tons of the
poisonous industrial chemical, phenol, and 18 tons of diesel.

Hazman told AFP the tanker's captain alerted the Johor Port
Authority on noticing the leak in the narrow Tebrau Straits
separating Malaysia and Singapore.

Two tugboats were dispatched and towed the vessel to near
Pasir Gudang where it capsized, he said. All 13 crew members were
safe.

Hazman said there was some spillage of diesel and of the
chemical, but the volume was unknown. Newspaper reports said the
toxic spill had killed thousands of fish and cockles reared in 85
offshore cages.

Hazman said authorities were investigating the cause of the
incident and a representative of the tanker owner, PT Lima Bahari
Pandunusa, was expected to fly to Johor later on Thursday.

Malaysian State Department of Environment Director Tengku
Bakry Tengku Johan said oil booms were used to contain the
diesel, but it was impossible to control the leaked phenol, which
is diluted in water and evaporates easily.

Phenol is a man-made chemical that is found in small amounts
in some organic materials. It is used for making plastics, some
types of nylon fibers, epoxy resin and disinfectants. It is found
in small amounts in products such as cold sore creams, mouthwash
and ear and nose drops.

In large amounts, it produces a strong, sickeningly sweet
odor. Ingesting low levels of phenol can cause diarrhea and large
amounts, death.