Oil spill off Mauritius: captain of a wrecked freighter arrested

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The shipwreck "Wakashio"

After the oil disaster off the coast of Mauritius, the authorities arrested the captain of the wrecked freighter "Wakashio".

The Indian captain and his deputy from Sri Lanka will be tried on preliminary charges, said police spokesman Shiva Coothen. The two were charged with endangering the safety of shipping and have to appear again in court at the end of August. Other crew members are to be questioned.

The Japanese freighter "Wakashio", which sails under the Panamanian flag, ran aground on July 25th with around 4,000 tons of fuel on board off the southeast coast of the vacationer's paradise in the Indian Ocean. More than 1000 tons of fuel leaked, an oil spill threatens the nature reserves in Mauritius. At the weekend the freighter broke in two, and again oil spilled into the sea.

Thousands of volunteers on duty

In a race against time, helpers are now trying to pump the remaining 3,000 tons of oil out of the ship. Thousands of volunteers helped clear the island's white beaches from the oil silt.

For Mauritius, the shipwreck is a severe blow, both ecologically and economically. The island nation is highly dependent on its coastal areas - not only because of the fishing, but also because of the coral reefs. These attract many tourists because of their beauty.

bah / AFP / dpa