A Japanese tanker spilled about 5,3-million litres of crude oil in the eastern Indian Ocean near the Nicobar islands following a collision with a cargo ship, the tanker’s operator announced on Tuesday.
Japan’s Kyodo news service said the spill may have been the largest to date involving a Japanese tanker.
The Bright Artemis tanker spilled the oil following a collision with the Amar, a smaller cargo ship, Mitsui OSK Lines said in a statement. It said the tanker had manoeuvred near the Amar, which was in distress about 500km west of the Nicobars.
The exact amount of the spill was not clear, the announcement said. The tanker was carrying about 294-million litres of crude. It had left port in Oman, bound for Japan.
There were no reports of injuries aboard the tanker, which had a Croatian captain and a crew of 23. A fire had broken out aboard the Amar, which was registered in Singapore, and its crew was rescued by the Bright Artemis, the announcement said. The accident occurred early on Monday, local time.
The remote Nicobar islands are located off the east coast of India.
Mitsui said the spill had been reported to Singaporean and Indian Coast Guard officials. No further details were immediately available. — Sapa