Oil leaked from a sinking ferry boat has been cleaned off from the Bohai Sea area near the port city of Dalian in Northeast China's Liaoning Province.
Early Monday, the Yuantong No 1, a Cambodia-registered ferry boat headed for Dalian hit the Guorun passenger liner headed for Yantai.
The Yuantong sank right after the collision. Seven crew members were rescued, but one is still missing.
The Guorun passenger liner was only slightly damaged, and its 289 passengers and crew were unhurt.
More than 60 tons of oil leaking from the sinking boat contaminated a 1,000-metre wide and 10-metre long area, according to Liu Licai of the Liaoning Maritime Bureau.
After the accident, the Liaoning Maritime Bureau ordered nearby ships to help. Four ships were immediately sent to the accident area.
Workers laid fences to prevent the oil from further spreading. Workers also cleaned the oil with absorbing mats and oil detergent.
In another development, the Xiamen Maritime Bureau in East China's Fujian Province has strengthened supervision and measures to prevent oil pollution on the sea after another boat collision occurred last week.
A Chinese oil tanker collided with a Greek container carrier last Thursday near Xiamen, a coastal city of Fujian Province.
Emergency measures have been taken to prevent oil from leaking out of the Chinese tanker, which sank with 8,800 tons of oil.
Officials with the Xiamen Maritime Bureau said the oil cleanup will be finished by the end of this month.
(China Daily 09/26/2001)
