Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post 2 Oct 09;
About 500,000 liters of crude oil pollute Timor Sea in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) province, threatening hundreds of fishermen, NTT Vice Governor Esthon Foennay said on Friday.
PTTEP Australasia, a petroleum exploration company that owns an offshore drilling rig off northwestern Australia, has admitted that the rig has been leaking oil and gas into the sea since August 21.
The drilling rig is located about 150 miles (250 kilometers) to the northwest of the Kimberley coast in Western Australia state.
Esthon expressed his deep concern for the pollution.
"Timor Sea has been globally known as a sea with rich natural resources. In addition, hundreds of fishermen are rely on the sea for their livelihood."
"We won't wait any longer. I have reported this issue to the central government so that we can talk to Australia as soon as possible," he said.
The oil spill occurred 50 miles away from the Timor Barat coast and will likely reach the shore in two weeks.
The Indonesian Navy has reportedly sent a warship to patrol around the spill site.
