Queensland, Australia-All patrolled surf beaches on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast were slated to reopen on March 21 after a massive clean-up following the March 11 spill of oil and ammonium nitrate from a cargo ship off the state’s southeast coastline. As of late in the week, a state government disaster declaration was in effect only for Moreton Island, where mopping-up operations continued. The Pacific Adventurer, a cargo ship owned by a Hong Kong global private enterprise called the Swire Group, lost 31 containers of ammonium nitrate and spilled 250 mt of oil into rough seas off Moreton Island on March 11. Three tons of ammonium nitrate was also reportedly spilled on the deck of ship. The incident occurred while Cyclone Hamish was battering coastal areas. There were no injuries onboard the ship, but environmental damage to coastal areas and wildlife prompted a massive clean-up effort along coastal areas affected by the oil spill. Searches continued for the lost ammonium nitrate containers, with reports late in the week that some 23 containers had been located by mine hunters from the Royal Australian Navy.
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