one of The worst scenarios happens. This Friday, August 14, the oil is again drained from the boat failed since the 25th July last, off the island of Mauritius, announced the local authorities. Since the sinking, the boat threatening to break at any time, with on board 100 tons of fuel oil. It is this remainder that has started to flow. “According to experts, this kind of leak is predictable and is due to the way the boat twists and warps “, said in a statement that the crisis committee put in place to manage this environmental disaster.
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The bulk carrier MV Wakashio, belonging to a shipowner japanese, was wrecked on the 25th of July on a reef at Pointe d’esny, in the south-east of the island of Mauritius, with 3 800 tons of fuel oil and 200 tonnes of diesel on board. A week later, between 800 and 1 000 tonnes of oil have escaped from its broadside ripped and soiled the coastlines, including in protected areas with mangrove forests and endangered species. On Wednesday evening, the authorities in mauritius had 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.
“The water has returned to black around the Wakashio”
” Since this morning, the water is returned to black around the Wakashio “, explained to the Agence France-Presse, a local fisherman, Alain François. “The authorities have explained that these are the waves that penetrate the vessel, which move the oil in the bilge “, he added. 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.
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” We cannot get in this part of the ship. It is too dangerous. There is a risk of asphyxiation “, she justified. But 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 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 argued in an interview with Agence France-Presse.
the owner of The boat “deeply conscious of (his) responsibilities”
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. 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.
