on Monday 10 August, the French ministry of the Armies did know that the island of The Meeting is not threatened by the oil spill caused by the sinking of a freighter off the island of Mauritius. And yet, The island of Reunion is located only 200 kilometres from the incident.
“The use of the simulation tool Mothy has been modelling assumptions drift aquifers-hydrocarbon as a function of their nature and of the environmental conditions in the area,” said the ministry in a press release. “The results show that, at this stage, the coasts of réunion are not threatened “, he added. The French ministry of the Armies has sent more than 20 tons of equipment and a dozen of experts by aircraft and boat since The Meeting in an attempt to stem the black tide. These means include 1 300 metres of floating barriers, pumping equipment and protective equipment.
An ecological disaster in anticipation ?
The Wakashio, belonging to a japanese company but flying the panamanian flag, was carrying 3 800 tonnes of heavy oil and 200 tonnes of diesel when it struck the 25 July a reef. More than 1,000 tons of fuel have already spilled into the sea and the ship is now threatening to break up, raising fears of an ecological disaster is even more serious in this area of the sea protected.
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The reef struck by the Wakashio on the south-east coast of the island of Mauritius is an ecological jewel known for its conservation sites classified internationally, its turquoise waters and its protected wetlands. Mauritius has the most beautiful coral reefs in the world, and is a sanctuary for rare wildlife and endemic. Its 1.3 million people depend on its waters for food and the economy.
