If, while it is within the prohibited area, a ship or a tanker sustains any damage, whether to its hull, equipment or machinery, which causes, or creates the likelihood of, a discharge of any harmful substance from such ship or tanker, or having sustained such damage, enters the prohibited area in such damaged condition, the master of such ship or tanker, or any member of its crew designated by the master, shall forthwith by the quickest means of communication available report to the principal officer at the port in the Republic nearest to where such ship or
tanker then is the fact that such damage was sustained, the nature and location on the ship or tanker of the damage, the position at sea where the damage was sustained, the name of the ship or tanker, its port of registry, its official number, its position, its course and, if in the Republic, its destination, the quantity and type of harmful
substances on board and, in the case of a tanker to which the provisions of section 13 apply, the particulars contained in the certificate.
