Sentosa's Siloso Beach reopens ahead of time after oil spill cleanup

Beachgoers can now hit the water at Siloso Beach on Sentosa after it was reopened to the public on Aug 3.

- Lee Nian Tjoe

This is the first of three beaches on the island to reopen after the authorities closed them for a cleanup following an oil spill from a vessel on June 14.

The Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) said on Aug 3 that Palawan Beach and Tanjong Beach will reopen in August after cleaning is completed.

Water activities at the two other beaches will resume once the water quality returns to normal levels, the SDC added.

Siloso Beach reopened ahead of schedule after extensive cleaning up efforts sped up the process. The work was completed in 1½ months, which was half the time it was originally expected to take.

Water activities at Sentosa and the Southern Islands’ beaches were suspended when more than 400 tonnes of oil spilt into Singapore waters after a dredging boat hit a bunker vessel.

Speaking to the media at the event to mark Siloso Beach’s reopening, SDC’s chief executive, Ms Thien Kwee Eng, said that there was overwhelming support from the public who wanted to help with the cleaning.

After the earlier phases of the cleanup that required specialised equipment and personnel were complete, volunteers were called in to help, with guidance from experts.