The scene at the once-picturesque Mallipo Beach in South Korea, 160 km southwest of Seoul, turned drastically over the weekend when the South Korea western coastline was swamped with an oil spill over the weekend. According to Yonhap news, the spill occurred when an 11,800-ton South Korean barge came loose from its tugboat in rough seas and hit a Hong Kong-registered supertanker nearby, punching holes and causing leaks.
The 146,000-ton tanker managed to stay afloat, but the spill has affected at least 50 kilometers of the coastline, a vital source of aquatic produce for local residents and a nesting ground for migratory birds.
(Source: Yonhap News)