Failed on July 25 on a coral reef at Pointe d’esny, with nearly 4,000 tonnes of oil on board the vessel contained more than 90 tons this Saturday.
An impressive image. The bulk carrier MV Wakashio, belonging to a shipowner from japan, who is failed on July 25 on a coral reef at Pointe d’esny, in the south-east of the island of Mauritius, with a total of 3,800 tonnes of fuel oil and 200 tonnes of diesel on board, was on Saturday evening on the point of breaking in two, and an “important piece” has already detached from the shell, has announced that the government of mauritius.
The rescue team of this ship was felt that his condition “continues to worsen, and that it could break at any time,” says a press release of the crisis committee set up by the government to manage this disaster.
Loopsider adds that the front of the boat is being towed to 1000 km from the zone. In a week, between 800 and 1000 tonnes of fuel oil escaped from its broadside ripped and soiled the coastlines, including in protected areas with mangrove forests and endangered species.
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It remained this Saturday, 90 tons of oil on board and “16: 30 it was observed the detachment of an important piece to the front of the ship,” according to the committee. It indicates that vessels of the coast guard stand ready to intervene with material to absorb the oil that could escape in the event of breakage of the MV Wakashio in two part. The weather forecasts predict bad weather “in the coming days, with waves reaching a maximum height of 4 to 5 meters”, adds the committee of a crisis.
Race-against-the-shows
The intervention teams have led to a race against the clock to pump the rest of the fuel, so that the boat threatened to break at any time. On Wednesday evening, the authorities of mauritius have announced that all of the fuel content in the tanks had been pumped out and that there were more than 100 tons on the boat, including the bilge.
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But the oil had started to flow on Friday and the risk of spilling completely into the indian Ocean. A source working on the operation clean-up has explained, under the cover of anonymity, that this new leak was coming from the engine room, where it is impossible to pump.
According to this source, the flow should be captured by the flange-floating made by thousands of volunteers mauritians who are being mobilised to limit the environmental disaster. Additional material intended to contain this new leak has been sent to the site, and a specialized boat to fight the pollution will be coming soon on the area, said the crisis committee.
The government pointed the finger
The mauritian government has been accused of neglect, the population wondering why so little had been done between the time that the MV Wakashio has failed and the onset of the leak. The Prime minister Pravind Jugnauth has been estimated that no error had been committed and refused to apologize. “The investigation will determine the causes of this accident, the reasons for which the boat approached as near our coasts, and has failed,” he argues.
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The government also announced Friday evening that he would ask for compensation to the owner and the insurer of the vessel, for the damage caused by the oil and for the cost of cleaning up the sides. In a letter sent on Thursday to the owner and to the owner of japanese boat, Greenpeace estimated that there were still “many unanswered questions”.
“Why has your ship sailed-it so dangerously near the reef ? Why have you done so little since the boat went aground ? What will you do to reduce environmental damage, and the pain and the suffering of those whose lives depend on it ?”, asked the NGOS.
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black Tide in Mauritius
oil spill in Mauritius : the oil is flowing again to the stranded vessel oil spill in Mauritius : “All of the oil has been pumped out of the tanks” of the boat failed to Mauritius : the company behind the MV Wakashio already been involved in accidents
the owner of The bulk carrier, Nagashiki Shipping, said in a press release to be “deeply conscious of [its] responsibilities” and has promised to respond “sincerely” to requests for compensation.
