An oil tanker that sank in the gulf yesterday won’t harm the environment or pose a risk to other vessels, according to a navy official.
Vice Adm. Sunthorn Khamklai, commander of the 2nd Naval Area, said the mysterious “ghost ship” which sank to the bottom was environmentally harmless and left only a “minimal” oil slick about a kilometer wide.
The unregistered Chinese vessel, which sank during an attempt to tow it away, won’t impede other vessels navigating the area, Sunthorn said. The spot where it went down will be marked by buoys, and other ship operators will be notified.
The mysterious ship, which inspired media imaginations to label it a “ghost ship,” was initially spotted Thursday about 100 nautical miles offshore of southern Songkhla province.
The 2nd Naval Area Command responded by deploying a drone to survey the boat and found no crew on board.
The ship is marked in Chinese as the Jin Shui Yuan 2, a name not in naval registries, officials said.
Officers tried to tow the abandoned vessel to shore in Surat Thani province, but it sank Sunday under strong winds and rough seas.
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