Panic as a heritage-listed Solomon Islands reef is hit by an oil spill - sparking fears of an environmental catastrophe
- An oil spill from a cargo ship stuck on a coral reef is threatening a heritage site
- The ship was chartered by a mining company when it got caught on the reef
- It can not move under its own power and is left immovable until it's towed away
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is under threat from an oil spill after a cargo ship became stuck on a reef in the south of the Solomon Islands.
The MV Solomon Trader ship was chartered by Indonesian mining company Bintan to transport bauxite from their mine on the island of Rennell in early February.
Operators were attempting to load the ship when it when it was caught on a reef by the remote island.
The MV Solomon Trader ship was chartered by Indonesian mining company Bintan to transport bauxite from their mine on the island of Rennell in early February
Rennell is the largest raised coral atoll in the world and East Rennell is heritage listed with many endemic species.
Wild weather from Cyclone Oma stopped the ship from being salvaged, allowing it to continue leaking oil in the ocean.
Around 60 tonnes of oil was spilled with a further 600 tonnes on board the ship, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said.
Oil can be seen leaking and spreading across the reef, raising alarms that the heritage-listed East Rennell could be under threat.
'Australia is extremely concerned at the scale of this disaster,' High Commissioner to the Solomon Islands Rod Brazier said, the ABC reports.
'The impact of this oil spill will have a devastating effect on the surrounding environment, including potentially on a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as the livelihood of the people of Rennell.'
The boat can not move under its own power and will be stuck leaking oil until it's towed away.
