澳洲昆士蘭當局發佈一則消息指出，莫瑞頓島和陽光海岸南方的地區因一艘貨輪受損，造成油箱過半的重油傾洩，約有30噸的重油洩漏海面。
在3月11日，185公尺長的太平洋冒險者號貨輪從新堡前往印尼途中，經過布里斯班時遇上五級風暴哈米許氣旋尾部所引起的巨浪。這艘船在莫瑞頓角東方七海浬處，通報其損失了甲板上所存放50桶硝酸銨中的31桶，少數落海的桶子造成船體破損，而引發了這次的漏油事件。
香港籍的太平洋探險號將面對150萬澳幣的罰款，船長則最高處以50萬罰款。環保人士表示，莫瑞頓島是全世界最大的沙質島之一。全島幾乎都劃入國家公園範圍，是人們最喜歡的度假勝地，島上幾英里長的沙灘、清澈的小溪和潟湖、豐富的野生生物，這些使得漏油的影響更為嚴重。
報告指出莫瑞頓島北角成為一片油污地令人不安，這區域是瓶鼻海豚、儒艮和其他珍貴的海洋動物的寶庫。漏油污染目前在莫瑞頓灣外，目前影響範圍只有莫瑞頓島北邊及東邊。
The government of Queensland has declared Moreton Island and the southern area of the Sunshine Coast a disaster area after a cargo ship damaged by the loss of more than half its containers spilled 30 tonnes of heavy oil into the sea.
On Wednesday, the 185 meter container ship, Pacific Adventurer, was enroute from Newcastle to Indonesia via Brisbane when it ran into heavy seas whipped up by the tail end of Cyclone Hamish, a category 5 storm.
The ship was seven nautical miles east of Cape Moreton when it reported losing 31 of a total 50 shipping containers of ammonium nitrate being carried on its deck. Several of the fallen containers pierced the ship's hull, resulting in the oil spill.
The company of the Hong Kong-based Pacific Adventurer can face fines of up A$1.5 million and the ship's master fines of up to $500,000.
One of the world's largest sand islands, Moreton is almost completely a national park. A favorite resort destination, the island is famous for its miles of sandy beaches, crystalline creeks and lagoons, and abundant wildlife, which makes the spill all the more devastating, environmentalists say.
Reports that the northern tip of Moreton Island has been turned into an oily wasteland are very disturbing. This area is home to bottlenose dolphins, dugongs and a treasure trove of other marine species.
The spill has remained outside of Moreton Bay and has only affected the north and eastern side of the island.
