A cargo ship carrying tonnes of chemicals sank off Sri Lanka's west coast, in one of Sri Lanka’s worst marine disasters. The navy told Reuters that tonnes of plastic pellets have fouled the waters.
Singapore-registered MV X-Press Pearl, which started burning on May 20, was carrying 1,486 containers including 25 tonnes of nitric acid, other chemicals and cosmetics. Hundreds of soldiers have set off to clean beaches that have been affected by the spill. Authorities had been trying to contain the flames since the vessel caught fire on May 20.
The vessel started sinking on Wednesday. Fisheries Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said that a salvage crew tried to tow the vessel away from the coast.
“The towing of the fire-engulfed X-Press Pearl ship was stopped due to the rear end of the vessel hitting the sea bed,” navy spokesman Captain Indika de Silva told Reuters.
“The ship has dealt a death blow to our lives,” said Joshua Anthony, head of a region fishing union. “We can't go into the sea which means we can't make a living”. Fishing along an 80-kilometre stretch of coastline has been banned by the government.
The sinking of the ship could cause an oil spill, Sri Lanka's Marine Environment Protection Authority said.
According to the coast guard, the spill has created a green film around the vessel. "We hope to get compensation in accordance with local and international law. We will never give up on that effort," Minister for ports and ports development Rohitha Abeygunewardene told Reuters.
Smoke rises from a fire onboard the MV X-Press Pearl vessel as it sinks while being towed into deep sea off the Colombo Harbour, in Sri Lanka June 2, 2021. Sri Lanka Airforce Media/Handout via REUTERS