Thousands mobilized to clean up spill
South Korea’s Coast Guard mobilized thousands of people today to clean up an oil spill polluting a swath of the country’s scenic and environmentally rich western coast.
About 100 ships, including Coast Guard, navy and private fishing boats, will help contain and clean up South Korea’s worst spill, a Coast Guard official said. About 6,000 people, including government personnel and residents, were expected to participate, nearly triple the number Saturday.
The oil started hitting beaches Saturday, a day after a Hong Kong-registered supertanker was hit by a South Korean-owned barge that came unmoored from its tugboat in rough seas about seven miles off Mallipo beach. Nearly 2.8 million gallons of crude were spilled.
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