Airmen, Soldiers aid local beach in oil spill clean-up

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Steven R. Doty
  • 8th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
KUNSAN AIR BASE, South Korea (AFPN) --  The smell of crude oil was still evident as 45 Airmen and Soldiers from Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, joined more than 150 workers and volunteers in another day of beach clean-up Jan. 4 following the nation's worst oil spill, which occurred almost one month ago at Mallipo Beach.

South Korean coast guard officials said the accident occurred the morning of Dec. 7 when a crane-carrying barge en route from a construction site lost control after a wire linking it to the tugboat was cut due to high winds, waves and currents. The vessel then slammed into the Hebei Spirit oil tanker.

A total of 66,000 barrels (2.7 million gallons) of crude oil spilled from the crane barge and washed on shore. The cleanup involved 13 helicopters, 17 airplanes, 327 vessels and over 200,000 workers to include U.S. Airmen, Soldiers and Sailors from around South Korea.

Leading the 8th Fighter Wing volunteers to Mallipo was Tech. Sgt. Jason Rosenbaum, a fireman with the 8th Civil Engineer Squadron.

"We were not able to get there for the initial clean-up when the sea was black, but this work (cleaning oil from rocks) is just as important to not only the environment, but to the way of life for the surrounding communities," Sergeant Rosenbaum said. 

After hearing a large amount of people expressing their desire to to help, Sergeant Rosenbaum took the necessary steps to get Airman and Soldiers involved.

"The South Korean government and its people have been so generous and we wanted to give back the best way we could," Sergeant Rosenbaum said. "A disaster like this is devastating and requires many hours of work and lots of help. We had over 70 volunteers but we were only able to bring 45. It was nice to see so many people wanted to help."

The effects of the oil spill threaten fish farms along an 11-mile stretch of scenic and environmentally rich coastline, 181 maritime farms and more than 4,000 farmers. The spill also has an economical impact on its summertime season as Mallipo Beach, which is the most popular tourist attraction in South Korea, averaging about 20 million tourists last year, offcials said.

For volunteer Senior Airman Peter Mellon, an American Forces Network broadcaster, the clean-up was a great opportunity, he said. 

"It is a very daunting task, but any effort that I can make to help with the cleanup is effort that someone else will not have to make." said Airmen Mellon, "If I can clean one rock or save one animal, that is enough for me. It may be hard to see the impact that is being made, but the fact is an impact is still being made."

Mallipo Beach representatives said they appreciate the many volunteers and the aid they have received for the clean-up process, but hope everyone will remember it is a very long and tedious process that counts on everybody. From volunteers offering to clean up, to those that hand out free coffee and snacks to the workers, every effort counts and brings the beach and community that much closer to life.

Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Vine, with Charlie 144, Patriot Battery, was excited and humbled to be a part of the experience, he said.

"Coming to Korea was a great chance to work with and support the local community," said Sergeant Vine. "It was great to know there was another way we could help our host nation and build a stronger relationship with the Airmen of the 8th Fighter Wing at the same time. We were honored to work side by side in the hopes of making a difference to the community of Taean." 

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