BEACHED CARGO SHIP SPILLING OIL INTO EXTREMELY SENSITIVE COASTAL ENVIRONMENT
(Posted 08th August 2020)
Freighter ‘Wakashio‘, which ran aground off one of Mauritius’ famous beaches and marine parks, is spilling oil from a ruptured fuel tank and efforts to contain the spill and pump out the remaining fuel oil, also from other tanks threatened with rupture, have not been successful so far.
France is reportedly aiding Mauritius by sending in a ship from the French region of Reunion, which is some 250 kilometres south of Mauritius and also plan to fly in specialists to help contain the situation.
Nagashiki Shipping, the owners of the vessel, could not offer any explanation why the freighter, enroute to Brazil, ran aground though it is understood that in the past other ships also suffered the same fate in the same area off shore.
The area around the oil spill, especially a lagoon, has been rehabilitated over the past two decades, according to information received from Mauritius, and is now in danger of being overwhelmed by the oil spill.
Tourism is one of Mauritius’ key economic factors and the spill is bound to impact the industry in this part of the island considerably after Mauritius is now slowly emerging again from a lockdown.
