In the Andaman Sea, maritime authorities are responding to an oil spill and container loss after the Panama-flagged container ship Sealloyd Arc sank off Phuket on 7 February while sailing from Port Klang to Chattogram. The vessel suffered water ingress and developed a heavy list, prompting a distress call to Thai authorities. Despite the severity of the incident, all 16 crew members, identified as Bangladeshi nationals, were rescued without injuries.
Crew rescued after distress call and rapid response
The distress alert was transmitted at around 15:20 local time, as the ship’s condition rapidly deteriorated. Eight crew members were recovered by a nearby fishing vessel acting as a Good Samaritan, while the remaining eight were rescued by patrol boats deployed by the Royal Thai Navy and the Phuket Provincial Administration. The vessel ultimately sank at approximately 21:00, several kilometres south of Phuket, prompting the navy to deploy surface units and aerial surveillance to monitor the area.
Oil spill and drifting containers raise environmental concerns
At the time of sinking, Sealloyd Arc was carrying between 229 and 297 containers, including 14 containing hazardous materials. Authorities reported that while many containers went down with the ship, others remain floating, posing navigational hazards. An aerial survey detected an oil slick extending several miles, though no pollution has reached Phuket’s coastline so far. Containment operations are ongoing, and a salvage plan is being prepared to recover drifting containers and limit environmental impact in this heavily trafficked shipping area.
