Grounded ship leaks oil near Pacific UNESCO site

There has been a massive ship wreck near the Solomon Islands in the Pacific Ocean. The wreckage has resulted in a huge amount of oil spilling into the ocean.

Rennell Island: An environmental disaster is unfolding in the Pacific after a large ship ran aground and began leaking oil next to a UNESCO World Heritage site in the Solomon Islands, Australian officials said Friday.

Footage taken this week shows little progress has been made in stopping the Solomon Trader ship from leaking oil since it ran aground February 5, according to the Australian High Commission in the Solomon Islands.

Australian experts estimate more than 80 tons of oil has leaked into the sea and shoreline in the ecologically delicate area and that more than 660 tons of oil remains aboard the Hong Kong-flagged ship, which is continuing to leak.

The ship was chartered by the Bintan Mining company in the Solomon Islands to carry bauxite, which is used in aluminium production.

Bintan Solomon Islands chief executive Fred Tang was not immediately available for comment Friday.

(With inputs from APTN)