Mauritius: Japan steps up its aid against the oil spill

Japan announced Monday the imminent dispatch of a new team of experts to Mauritius to participate in the cleanup efforts, a thousand tons of fuel oil having spilled from a Japanese boat stranded on a reef since late July. The announcement comes as the Mauritian government has expressed its intention to demand compensation for the damage caused by the oil spill.

Read also: The ship stranded on the coast of Mauritius broke, announces the Japanese owner

Tokyo had already dispatched a first team of six experts to Mauritius, including coast guards and diplomats, to help with efforts to contain pollution. A new team of seven specialists will leave Japan on Wednesday, and will deliver equipment, including absorbents, to help absorb the oil slicks that have spilled into the crystal-clear waters of the island, the Japanese embassy announced on Monday in Maurice. " The oil spill has caused serious damage to the environment of the south-eastern coast of Mauritius and will also have an inevitable impact on the country's tourism industry ," the embassy said in a statement.

" Japan has decided to send the team in view of all the circumstances, including the urgent request for assistance from the government of Mauritius and the friendly relations between the two countries, " she added. The Japanese bulk carrier MV Wakashio ran aground on July 25 on a reef at Pointe d'Esny, in the south-east of Mauritius, with 3,800 tonnes of fuel oil and 200 tonnes of diesel on board. Between 800 and 1000 tons of fuel oil escaped from its gutted blanks and soiled the coasts, in particular protected areas sheltering mangrove forests and endangered species. Response teams raced against time to pump out the rest of the fuel, as the boat threatened to break at any moment. He finally broke in two on Sunday.

The front two-thirds of the wreckage began to be towed before being sunk off to avoid further damage. The remaining part, which contains the engines and about 30 cubic meters of oil that may be difficult to pump due to weather conditions, is still stuck on the reef. The Mauritian government has been accused of negligence, with the population of this tourist island wondering why so little had been done between the time the MV Wakashio ran aground and the appearance of the leak. Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth said no mistake had been made and refused to apologize. The boat's Japanese owner, Nagashiki Shipping, said he was " deeply aware of (his) responsibilities " and promised to respond " sincerely " to requests for compensation.