TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Environmental protection authorities have removed some of the oil aboard a cargo ship that ran aground near Orchid Island and are working to ensure the rest is pumped out without damaging the surrounding area.

The Taitung County Environmental Protection Bureau said on Tuesday (Oct. 8) that as of midday, 45 tons of oil had been removed from the Barbados-flagged ship Blue Lagoon that ran aground on Oct. 1 as a typhoon approached. The bureau said about 325 tons of oil and diesel remain on board, which will seriously damage the surrounding environment if not removed.

The bureau said it was fortunate that the ship’s oil and diesel storage had not ruptured or leaked. The ship's hull and cargo will be removed once all the oil is pumped out.

The first break in the weather after the ship ran aground was on Oct. 4, after which various local authorities dispatched crews to implement oil spill control measures in case of a leak. These included deploying oil-absorbing materials to surrounding waters and assigning monitoring and response staff.

The Blue Lagoon had been on its way from Beijing to Singapore when it ran aground. All of the ship's crew were safely rescued from the shipwreck.