Closure of Sentosa Island Beaches in Singapore Due to Oil Spill

An oil spill at a shipping port has led to the closure of beaches on the tourist island of Sentosa in southern Singapore today, Saturday. A sign at the beach entrance stated, "An oil spill has been detected. Cleanup is in progress. Please stay away from the water." A warning on the Sentosa website indicated that Tanjong, Palawan, and Siloso beaches are closed for cleaning and swimming and marine activities are currently not allowed. The oil spill originated from the Pasir Panjang terminal, located less than 10 kilometers from the popular tourist destination, after a Dutch-flagged barge collided with a parked Singapore-flagged vessel on Friday afternoon. The Singapore Port Authority stated in a press release late Friday that some oil had leaked into the water from the damaged ship's tank and that "the tank has been isolated and the spill contained." Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority mentioned yesterday, "The cleanup of the oil spill is in progress."