The tourist paradise of the island of Mauritius is threatened by an environmental catastrophe due to the stranding of an oil tanker.
The southwestern Indian Ocean country east of Madagascar announced yesterday that crude oil is leaking from a ship, the MV Wakashio, which has run aground in the island's southeast.
The admission of an unspecified "oil leak" was made by the environment ministry asking tourists and fishermen to stay clear of the Blue Bay, Pointe d'Esny and Mahebourg lagoons.
The tanker, flying the Panamanian flag, is of a Japanese company and ran aground on July 25 without consequences for the crew, evacuated. All in all empty, the 101-ton tanker launched in 2007 still carried 200 tons of diesel and 3,800 of its own fuel, according to local media.
The stranding took place at Pointe d'Esny, inserted among the wetlands of international importance protected by the Ramsar Convention, and near the Blue Bay marine park.
Anti-pollution systems have been sent to the scene, the ministry announced, revealing that the government has asked for help from the island of Réunion, a French overseas department.
"We are in a situation of environmental crisis", admitted the Minister of the Environment Kavy Ramano. "This is the first time we have faced a catastrophe of this type and we are insufficiently equipped to handle the problem," warned fisherman colleague Sudheer Maudhoo.
Ministers said efforts to stabilize the tanker failed due to rough seas, such as those to suck oil. Conservationists fear the ship could break apart, increasing the spills and triggering a catastrophe for the island's coast, a tourist magnet among other things thanks to its coral reefs and high-end resorts.
Stranded oil tanker threatens the island of Mauritius
2020-08-07T19:10:20.718Z
Ministry, oil comes out in the sea of the tourist paradiseThe tourist paradise of the island of Mauritius is threatened by an environmental catastrophe due to the stranding of an oil tanker. The southwestern Indian Ocean country east of Madagascar announced yesterday that crude oil is leaking from a ship, the MV Wakashio, which has run aground in the island's southeast. The admission of an unspecified "oil leak" was made by the environment mini...