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Oil From Sunken Freighter Reaches Phuket Beaches as Navy Deploys Dispersants

Officials are prioritizing salvage funding as divers cannot reach the 60‑meter‑deep wreck.

Overview

  • Oil residues have reached Ya Nui Beach and Banana Beach on Koh Hey, according to local MP Chalermpong Saengdee.
  • The Panama‑flagged freighter Sealloyd Arc sank on February 7 en route to Bangladesh, with Thai authorities estimating about 1,700 liters of oil leaked.
  • The wreck lies at roughly 60 meters, limiting diver access and preventing direct repairs at the source.
  • The Thai navy has applied dispersants, and residents were shown using rakes and buckets to collect oil clumps along affected shorelines.
  • Saengdee called for government funding to salvage the vessel, as environmental groups warn of long‑term ecosystem damage and risks to tourism and food supplies.