Authorities in Taiwan are trying to contain an oil spill from a grounded container ship which has split in two off the shore of New Taipei City.
The 15,487-ton ship TS Lines ran aground in a storm about 300 metres from the shore while it was sailing from Hong Kong to Keelung Port in Taiwan on March 10.
On Friday the ship broke apart, releasing heavy oil into the sea.
Authorities have been attempting to clean up the leakage, but efforts have been hampered by stormy weather, which left rescue boats unable to reach the wreckage on Friday to pump the oil.
Chief of the Environmental Protection Agency's Department of Water Quality Protection Yeh Jiunn-hung said that in addition to 242 tons of heavy fuel, the ship also contains toxic materials, The China Post reported on Saturday.
Environmentalists have warned that if the spill is not contained in time, the shipwreck, which is near a fishing port and nuclear power plant, could damage the ecosystem for two to three years.
