Object description

The 2014 Sundarbans oil spill was an oil spill that occurred on 9 December 2014 at the Shela River in Sundarbans, Bangladesh, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The spill occurred when an oil-tanker named Southern Star VII, carrying 350,000 litres of furnace oil, was in collision with a cargo vessel and sank in the river. By December 17, the oil had spread over a 350 km area. The oil spread to a second river and a network of canals in Sundarbans, which blackened the shoreline. The spill threatened trees, plankton, and vast populations of small fish and dolphins. The spill occurred at a protected mangrove area, home to rare Irrawaddy and Ganges dolphins. By 12 January 2015, 70,000 litres of oil had been cleaned up by local residents, the Bangladesh Navy, and the government of Bangladesh.