Another oil tanker collided with a ship off the coast of Yeosu, South Jeolla Province on Tuesday night. The collision between the 4,050-ton oil tanker Heungyang and the 90-ton 801 Changnyeong broke one of 15 oil tanks, causing a spill of 50 kiloliters of diesel oil. One oil tank carries 409 kiloliters of oil. No casualties were reported.

The Heungyang told coast guards it moved the oil from the broken tanker to other, unaffected ones. Coast guards said the exact amount of oil spilled can only be calculated after an accurate on-the-spot survey is made.

A collision between an oil tanker and a floating crane caused the nation's worst oil spill last December, contaminating the sea with 12,547 kiloliters of oil.

Coast guards said the latest oil spill would cause only minor damage since diesel oil evaporates easily. When the collision occurred, winds were not strong, blowing at 4-6 m per second. Waves were also moderate at 0.5 m. Coast guards believe the tanker will not sink. The collision occurred in distant waters and will no great impact on fish farming.

(englishnews@chosun.com )