Thousands of tons of coal spilled into Cilacap waters

JAKARTA: At least 3,000 tonnes of coal have spilled from a capsized barge into the sea in Cilacap, Central Java.

Aher Priyatno, chief of the coastguard unit at the Cilacap Port, said Tuesday that high waves had severely damaged the barge, which capsized in April.

"Waves were hitting the barge, forcing it onto its side and spilling the coal into the sea," he told tempointeraktif.com.

Aher said efforts to remove the capsized barge had been hampered by bad weather in recent months.

The local fishermen's association filed a protest with the Cilacap Environmental Agency, fearing that the spilled coal would affect the local ecosystem. -JP