The boat was traveling at empty but was carrying 200 tonnes of diesel and 3800 tonnes of heavy oil. All attempts to stabilize the vessel have failed.
The authorities of mauritius announced Thursday that the hydrocarbons flowed from a bulk carrier stranded on a reef since the end of July on the south-east coast of the island, raising fears of an ecological disaster. The ministry mauritius of the Environment said in a press release that they have been informed on Thursday of the existence of a “crack in the ship MV Wakashio” and “leak oil”. He asked the public not to venture on the beaches and in the lagoons surrounding the area.
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A casting black escaping the bulk carrier stranded on a reef since the 25th of July could be observed on Thursday, after he had begun to sag on the rear and take the water. The boat, belonging to a shipowner japanese but flying the panamanian flag, was traveling empty but was carrying 200 tonnes of diesel and 3800 tonnes of heavy oil, according to the local press. Its crew was evacuated.
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Fears for the environment
It is failed on the pointe d’esny, a wetland classified as a Ramsar, such as the Blue Bay marine park close to him and also threatened. These two sites have been protected by control systems, said the ministry. “We are in a situation of environmental crisis”, has acknowledged in a press conference the minister of mauritius of the Environment, Kavy Ramano.
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“This is the first time that we are faced with a disaster like that, and we are not sufficiently equipped to deal with this problem”, added the minister of Fisheries, Sudheer Maudhoo. The government of mauritius has therefore turned to the French authorities to Reunion island neighbor for help, he said.
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According to the two ministers, all attempts to stabilize the ship were unsuccessful due to bad conditions at sea. The efforts to pump the hydrocarbons are also so far proved unsuccessful. Environmentalists fear that the boat will finally break, which may lead to leakage even more important hydrocarbons and monumental damage in the sea and on the coast. Very popular for its lagoons and its heavenly beaches, Mauritius is a mecca of international tourism.
