The operation to remove the remaining oil from the bulk carrier that ran aground off the coast of Mauritius in late July has been halted due to bad weather and rough seas, the Mauritian National Crisis Committee reports. Hundreds of tons of bulk oil have already leaked from the ship.
The MV Wakashio, owned by the Japanese shipping company Nagashiki Shipping, ran aground on a coral reef on July 25. The wreck broke in two last week.
“Due to adverse weather conditions, it is still risky to dispose of the small amount of residual oil left in the engine room,” the committee said in a statement Monday evening, the report said. BBC. As soon as the weather permits, “pumping work will resume”.
The bulk carrier has already leaked about 1,000 tons of oil into the waters near two nature reserves with special marine ecosystems and a swampy nature reserve on the Mauritian coast.
The Mauritius government declared a state of emergency
The government of Mauritius wants to hold “the owner and insurer” of the ship liable for the damage. Nagashiki Shipping has announced that it is open to such a requirement.
Earlier this month, Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth declared a nationwide state of emergency over the disaster and asked for international assistance.
A team of Japanese experts will arrive on Wednesday to assist with the clean-up work, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. France has also pledged experts to its former colony.
In addition, volunteers in Mauritius are active in cleaning up.
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