The bulk carrier MV Wakashio stranded on a reef in Mauritius broke in two, its owner, Mitsui OSK Lines, announced on Sunday. A fact harmful to the environment for which the Minister of Overseas France fears the impact on Reunion Island.
“I cannot guarantee that there will be no pollution in Réunion. I do not control ocean currents, we monitor them hour by hour. And everything will also depend on the future of the wreck ”, declared Sébastien Lecornu, Minister of Overseas Territories, Guest on the BFMTV antenna this Sunday.
As soon as I arrived on Reunion Island, I was briefed by the @ Prefet974, with the @MarineNationale and all the State services mobilized to assist Mauritius, on the state of the situation as a result the grounding of the #Wakashio and the pumping operations. pic.twitter.com/6wkAKVbU9U
- Sébastien Lecornu (@SebLecornu) August 16, 2020This breakage of the bulk carrier, which 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, seemed inevitable since several days.
90 tonnes of fuel on board when the boat broke
Between 800 and 1,000 tons of fuel oil escaped from its gutted blanks and soiled the coasts, especially protected areas with mangrove forests and endangered species. According to authorities, around 90 tons of fuel remained on board when the boat broke in two.
Response teams raced against time to pump out the rest of the fuel, as the boat threatened to break at any moment.
The rescue team plans to tow the front two-thirds of the wreckage and sink them off to avoid further damage, a police source in Port Louis said on condition of anonymity. The remaining part of the boat is still stuck in the reef, according to the same source.
"I will meet with the Prime Minister of Mauritius to discuss the future of the wreck," said the minister, detailing several possible scenarios.
The future of the boat under discussion
The first option would be to "sink it into the open sea". A “hostile” alternative, according to the minister, “because of the impact that this could have on the Reunion coast and on the safety of maritime traffic”. “Otherwise, you have to tow the wreckage and deconstruct it. This decision will be up to the Mauritians anyway. "
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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.
Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth felt that no mistake had been made and refused to apologize. The government has also announced that it will seek compensation from the shipowner and insurer for the damage caused by the fuel oil and the cost of cleaning the coasts.
Nagashiki Shipping, said he was “deeply aware of (his) responsibilities” and promised to respond “sincerely” to requests for compensation.