Wreck of the Wakashio
Photo: STRINGER / REUTERSThe freighter "Wakashio", which was wrecked off Mauritius, broke up. This is what the Internet portal "lemauricien" and the dpa news agency report, citing drone images.
The front part will now be towed, said the country's shipping ministry. It should be sunk in the sea far from the coast.
The 300-meter-long Japanese freighter ran aground off the south-east coast of Mauritius around three weeks ago. After a few days one of its tanks ripped. More than 1000 tons of fuel flowed into the lagoon off Pointe d'Esny.
While emergency services and thousands of volunteers try to remove the oil, the government is already calling it the worst ecological disaster Mauritius has ever experienced.
On Thursday, the owner, Nagashiki Shipping, reported that almost the entire remaining 3,000 tons of oil had been removed from the ship. Independent experts said it was unclear whether there was oil left in the tanks and, if so, how much.
Icon: The mirrorssu / dpa
