Stricken oil tanker splits in half after leaking 1,000 tonnes of fuel into protected seas
A huge tanker that ran aground off the coast of Mauritius has now completely split in two, just days after it was emptied of its remaining oil.
The latest images from the clean-up effort of the Japanese MV Wakashio show the stricken ship is in two halves after being buffeted by waves for more than three weeks.
It’s thought that most, if not all, the remaining 3,000 tonnes of fuel had been pumped off the ship before it split – preventing further catastrophic damage to the pristine sea.
But questions are still being asked over why it took so long for the tanks to be emptied. The vessel first struck a reef on July 25 and was left to flounder until its hull cracked and more than 1,000 of tons of oil leaked out into the surrounding waters.
Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth said: ‘All the fuel has been pumped from the reservoirs. It was a race against the clock, and I salute the excellent work to prevent another oil spill.’
It’s feared that the damage done by the oil that did leak out could destroy coral reefs and coastal areas.
The Mauritius government is under pressure to explain why immediate action was not taken. Mr Jugnauth earlier blamed bad weather for the slow response.
Owner Nagashiki Shipping is investigating why the ship went off course when it was meant to stay at least 10 miles from shore.
The company has sent experts to help in cleaning up the damage and is likely to have to pay compensation.
After the Government declared an environmental emergency, thousands of volunteers rushed to the shore to create makeshift oil barriers from tunnels of fabric stuffed with sugar cane leaves and even human hair, with empty soda bottles tucked in to keep them afloat.
The country of some 1.3 million people relies heavily on tourism and already had taken a severe hit with coronavirus pandemic travel restrictions.
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