Police in Mauritius prepared to board a grounded ship leaking tonnes of oil into its crystal-clear waters, as clean-up crews confront a growing ecological disaster on the archipelago’s pristine shores.
The ship’s captain, a 58-year-old Indian national, will accompany officers on the search, police officials said.
Twenty crew members evacuated safely from the Japanese-owned, Panamanian-flagged ship when it ran aground are under surveillance.
The bulk carrier MV Wakashio has been seeping fuel into a protected marine park boasting unspoiled coral reefs, mangrove forests and endangered species, prompting Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth to declare an environmental emergency and appeal for international help.
The MV Wakashio, operated by Mitsui OSK Lines, struck the reef on the southeast coast of Mauritius on July 25.
On Sunday, Mitsui OSK apologised for the major oil spill, in which estimated 1,000 tonnes of oil mixed to the Indian Ocean.
Drone images show vast amounts of oil leaking…
