Two tankers collide in Singapore spilling 224 tons of oil

Two Singapore-registered tankers collided in the country's southern waters, spilling about 200 metric tons (224 U.S. tons) of oil from one of the vessels, the government said Friday. There were no reports of injuries.

Photo: Two tankers collide in Singapore spilling 224 tons of oil

Two tankers collide in Singapore spilling 224 tons of oil

The incident between the 1,187-ton Seafalcon and the 2,836-ton Frontek, both bunker tankers, occurred Thursday 500 meters (547 yards) from St. John's Island, one of Singapore's southern offshore islands, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore said in a statement.

The collision damaged one of Seafalcon's tanks and resulted in the spill, while the Frontek sustained minor damage to its bow and stem, the statement said. The spill had been cleaned up by Friday.

The government agency said it dispatched five anti-pollution craft to the scene and placed an oil boom around the Seafalcon, to clean up and control the spill, which it said did not affect port operations and shipping traffic.

"There has been no further sighting of any oil spill in our port waters. We have also checked St. John's Island and the other islands in the vicinity, and they have not been affected by the oil spill," it said Friday.

The Maritime and Port Authority said it would investigate the incident, the AP said.

The Straits of Singapore and Malacca are two of the world's busiest shipping lanes. More than 50,000 commercial vessels ply the two waterways annually.