Oil spill in Mauritius: the captain of the ship was arrested

The captain of the Japanese ship which ran aground on a reef in Mauritius, causing an oil spill at the end of July, was arrested on Tuesday, according to a police source.

“We arrested the captain and his deputy today. They were brought to justice on a provisional charge. The investigation continues from tomorrow with the questioning of other members of the crew, ”said police spokesman Shiva Coothen.

The captain, of Indian nationality, and his deputy, of Sri Lankan nationality, have been indicted for endangering navigation safety and will appear in court again on August 25.

Between 800 and 1,000 tonnes of fuel oil in the water

The Japanese bulk carrier MV Wakashio ran aground on July 25 in the south-east of Mauritius, with more than 3,800 tonnes of fuel oil and 200 tonnes of diesel on board.

Between 800 and 1,000 tonnes of fuel oil flowed in the crystal clear waters, especially in protected areas home to endangered species.

The boat that threatened to break at any time finally broke in two on Sunday. The bow of the wreckage was sunk to prevent further damage.

"We are engaged in a delicate operation", declared Alain Donat, the director of the maritime services of Mauritius. “We want to take advantage of the high tide to pull it out bit by bit. This part of the boat is 225 meters long and 50 meters wide ”.

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The decision to sink the front part of the MV Wakashio was taken on Monday by a crisis committee chaired by the Prime Minister of Mauritius, Pravind Jugnauth, in consultation with French experts sent as consultants by Paris.

The owner of the boat "aware of his responsibilities"

The remaining part, which contains the engines and about 30 cubic meters of oil, is still stuck on the reef. The remaining fuel oil is for the moment left on site because it is deemed “too risky to seek to recover the residual quantity of fuel oil in the engine room. "

VIDEO. Oil spill on Mauritius: "We make buoys with the hair and feathers of guinea fowl"

The Japanese owner of the boat, Nagashiki Shipping, said he was "deeply aware of (his) responsibilities" and promised to respond to claims for compensation.

Japan announced the dispatch on Wednesday of a new team of experts to Mauritius to participate in the clearance efforts.

The government of Mauritius has been accused of negligence by the population, while the Prime Minister of Mauritius, Pravind Jugnauth, considered that no error had been made and refused to apologize.