[Coolhand]

London, May 18 -- The marine ecosystem in Thailand's upper southern province of Prachuap Khiri Khan has been put jeopardy by an oil tanker which capsized a week ago in fierce seas, just four kilometres from the coastline of a national park. The large oil tanker was found by local fisheries and marine resource officials, as they prepared to create an artificial coral reef yesterday. Completely upended, the Big C5 (?product tanker Big Sea 5 (699 gt, built 1982)) was travelling from the southern Surat Thani Province to Bangkok when it sunk on May 10. The crew of a boat which had been travelling with the vessel said that they had attempted to salvage it and pull it to shore, but had been unable to do so. According to local reporters, the environmental damage from the disaster is already apparent. A film of oil now coats the surface of the water despite the fact that the oil tanker was not said to have been carrying any oil at the time of the accident. Home to several species of dolphins, the area where the tanker capsized is also thought to be a feeding ground for beluga whales. Yesterday marine resources officials said that measures had been taken to minimize the environmental damage.