On July 25th, a ship struck a coral reef at Pointe d’Esny, off the south-east coast of Mauritius, and ran aground. Since then, over 1,000 tons of fuel and oil has leaked into the sea, polluting the coral reefs, pristine lagoons, and white-sand beaches beloved by people around the world. The Indian Ocean island is a famous tourist destination thanks to its natural beauty. Now, that may be in jeopardy.
The marine disaster is not only ecological – endangering fish and other marine life – but economical as well as threatening the island nation’s livelihood. Some scientists have even called the incident the country’s worst ecological catastrophe. What’s worse, the latest news about the bulk carrier MV Wakashio, which is owned by Japan’s Nagashiki Shipping and chartered by Mitsui OSK Lines, is that it’s cracking up (breaking in pieces) and threatening an even greater calamity.
The Mauritius National Crisis Committee said:
At around 4.30 pm, a major detachment of the vessel’s forward section was observed. On the basis of the experts’ advice, the towing plan is being implemented. Read more…
