Sri Lanka: Ship with chemicals on board burns in the Indian Ocean

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The burning »X-Press Pearl«: Apparently containers fell into the sea

Photo: Sri Lanka Air Force / dpa

A ship loaded with chemicals burns off the west coast of Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean.

The Navy and Air Force have been trying to put out the fire for days, said a marine spokesman for the German Press Agency.

The fire has been spreading faster since Tuesday, and there has been an explosion.

The 25 crew members were also rescued on Tuesday.

Two of them were injured in the explosion.

The crew consists of Filipino, Chinese, Indian and Russian nationals.

1486 containers with 25 tons of chemicals, some of them dangerous, were loaded on the ship - including nitric acid and cosmetics, said the chairman of the island nation's marine protection authority, Dharshani Lahandapura.

She had received reports that fuel from the engine room had spilled into the sea.

Further investigations should determine the extent of the pollution.

The navy said that several containers had crashed into the sea.

Apparently chemical started the fire

The "X-Press Pearl", registered under the flag of Singapore, was supposed to bring its cargo from India to Singapore. But then a chemical leaked from a container during a storm at the end of last week, which triggered a chemical reaction and led to the fire, said the marine spokesman. The ship was located 18 kilometers northwest of Sri Lanka's capital Colombo.

Aerial photographs released by the Sri Lankan Air Force showed the ship engulfed in flames and thick smoke.

Strong winds intensified the fire, said Marine spokesman Indika de Silva.

Five tugs are busy fighting the fire, a naval ship is anchored nearby as support.

According to the company X-Press Feeders, owner of the ship, special fire extinguishing devices from Europe are supposed to help fight the fire.

Last September there was also a ship fire off Sri Lanka when an oil tanker caught fire.

Obviously, oil did not get into the sea.

ptz / dpa / AP