Tourists Angry at Damage to Great Barrier Reef from Stranded
- 14 years ago
Tourists visiting Australia's Great Barrier Reef are both worried and angry after a Chinese coal carrier ran aground on the reef on Wednesday. Questions remain unanswered about what the Chinese ship was doing so far off course in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef.
Australia’s Maritime Safety Authority is preparing to begin a delicate operation to offload almost 1,000 tons of fuel oil from the tanks of a Chinese ship stranded on the Great Barrier Reef.
The Shen Neng 1, which ran aground on Saturday, has been stabilized by the help of tugboats and its oil leak has been plugged.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who surveyed the ship from the air on Tuesday, says he’s outraged.
[Kevin Rudd, Australian Prime Minister]: (English)
"It's still, for me, outrageous that this Chinese ship, in broad daylight, could be twelve kilometers off course in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef. Let's just call a spade a spade here. But there are a whole lot of other practical things to be worked through, one of which is how did this occur, who's responsible and through a proper investigatory process, what penalties should apply."
Tourists on the beach near where the ship was grounded expressed their concern about the consequences for the reef.
[Sonya Deurloo, German Tourist]: (English)
"I came to Australia to see the Great Barrier Reef, because we don't have anything like that in Germany, not at all, so if it gets like destroyed, sure we have other reasons to come to Australia, but the Great Barrier Reef is such a big point."
[...]
[Linda Cains, Local Tourist]: (English)
"I am feeling very angry about what's happened on the reef. I feel so strongly about it. I think it is criminal. I think they should be hung by their thumbs!"
Some locals living in the islands near the reef said this could affect their livelihoods if tourists no longer visit the world heritage marine park.
The 750 foot ship was carrying 65,000 tons of coal when it ran aground.
Australia’s Maritime Safety Authority is preparing to begin a delicate operation to offload almost 1,000 tons of fuel oil from the tanks of a Chinese ship stranded on the Great Barrier Reef.
The Shen Neng 1, which ran aground on Saturday, has been stabilized by the help of tugboats and its oil leak has been plugged.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who surveyed the ship from the air on Tuesday, says he’s outraged.
[Kevin Rudd, Australian Prime Minister]: (English)
"It's still, for me, outrageous that this Chinese ship, in broad daylight, could be twelve kilometers off course in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef. Let's just call a spade a spade here. But there are a whole lot of other practical things to be worked through, one of which is how did this occur, who's responsible and through a proper investigatory process, what penalties should apply."
Tourists on the beach near where the ship was grounded expressed their concern about the consequences for the reef.
[Sonya Deurloo, German Tourist]: (English)
"I came to Australia to see the Great Barrier Reef, because we don't have anything like that in Germany, not at all, so if it gets like destroyed, sure we have other reasons to come to Australia, but the Great Barrier Reef is such a big point."
[...]
[Linda Cains, Local Tourist]: (English)
"I am feeling very angry about what's happened on the reef. I feel so strongly about it. I think it is criminal. I think they should be hung by their thumbs!"
Some locals living in the islands near the reef said this could affect their livelihoods if tourists no longer visit the world heritage marine park.
The 750 foot ship was carrying 65,000 tons of coal when it ran aground.