NEWS REPORTS are extracted from various sources -
Malaysian, Singapore, UK, Australian Newspapers, BBC, CNN and Reuters to name but a few .....

Oil spill spreading towards Penang

Oil from the sunken Sun Vista has drifted some 35 nautical miles off the Penang island's west coast but is not posing any danger as yet, Marine Department northern regional director Haji Jamaludin Yusuf said. Jamaludin said the thin layer of oil was spreading towards the north, parallel to the Penang coast. "Since the spill has broken up into many thin spots, it is pointless to use oil booms to contain them or spray chemicals to disperse the oil," Jamaludin told a press conference yesterday. On preliminary investigations into the cause of the fire that brought down the ship, Jamaludin confirmed that a fire, caused by short-circuit, had started at the engine room's switch board, but declined to elaborate.

Wednesday, May 26, 1999

Two more experts arrive to help with oil slick PENANG:

Two pollution control experts arrived from London and Singapore yesterday to assist in managing the oil spill from the Sun Vista. Dr T.H. Moller of International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Ltd and Chris Richard with Singapore Oil Spill Response Centre were engaged by Sun Cruises, the owner of Sun Vista. Already here is Singapore Semco Salvage which are deploying four divers who have located the source of the oil leak and are expected to have it plugged today. Aquarius International Consultants Pte Ltd's master mariner Capt Dick Ridsdale said all parties would be working together to contain the oil spill. He said that the team had been flying over the site and along the coastline of the Straits of Malacca to monitor and observe efforts being carried out. He said the 30,440 tonne luxury liner was filled with 2,000 tonnes of diesel and gas oil. The National Oil Spill Contingency Committee, headed by the Department of Environment, mobilised clean-up equipment including booms, skimmers and dispersant to mop up the oil slick measuring 19.2km long, 0.8km wide and 2.5cm thick.