The Japanese-owned ship, MV Wakashio, ran aground at Pointe d'Esny in late July and began spilling tons of oil into a pristine Indian Ocean lagoon last week.…
1 of 17 | The Japanese-owned MV Wakashio is seen split into two parts near Blue Bay Marine Park, Mauritius, on Sunday, August 16. "At around 4.30 pm [Saturday], a major detachment of the ship's bow section was observed," the Mauritius National Crisis Committee said in a statement. AFP via Getty Images
2 of 17 | The MV Wakashio ran aground at Pointe d'Esny, east of the island nation of Mauritius. Sumeet Mudhoo / L'Express Maurice / Getty Images
3 of 17 | Volunteers try to get around the oil spill on Wednesday, August 12. Local residents filled cloth sacks with sugarcane leaves to try to prevent the oil spill from reaching their shores. Beekash Roopun / L'express Maurice / AP
4 of 17 | Volunteers make handmade barriers on the Mahébourg promenade in Mauritius on August 12. L'Express Maurice / AFP / Getty.
5 of 17 | An oil leak is seen from the MV Wakashio on Tuesday, August 11. Gwendoline Defender / EMAE / AP
6 of 17 | Volunteers carry a handmade barrier on Monday, August 10 L'Express Maurice / AFP / Getty
7 of 17 | People are drilling for oil near Blue Bay Marine Park on Sunday, August 9. Daren Mauree // L'Express Maurice / AFP / Getty
8 of 17 | The island of Mauritius is facing an environmental emergency after a wrecked ship spilled tons of diesel and oil into the Indian Ocean. In this photo, local volunteers clean up the oil that hits the beach on August 9. (Credit: Laura Morosoli / EPA-EFE / Shutterstock)
9 of 17 | This photo shows a Mauritius beach full of oil after the fuel spill. (Credit: Laura Morosoli / EPA-EFE / Shutterstock)
10 of 17 | The MV Wakashio ship ran aground in late July at Pointe d'Esny, on the island nation's eastern coast, according to reports from local media and environmental activists. The location is close to the Blue Bay Marine Park reserve and several tourist beaches. (Credit: Daren Mauree / L'Express Maurice / AFP via Getty Images)
11 of 17 | Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth declared a state of environmental emergency on August 7. This aerial photo shows a large patch of oil spilled on August 8, 2020. (Credit: AFP via Getty Images)
12 of 17 | "Thousands of species around the unspoiled lagoons of Blue Bay, Pointe d'Esny and Mahebourg are at risk of drowning in a sea of pollution, with dire consequences for Mauritius's economy, food security and health," said Happy Khambule , Greenpeace Africa campaign manager. In this photo, passers-by look at the MV Wakashio ship from shore on August 6 (Credit: Dev Ramkhelawon / L'Express Maurice / AFP via Getty Images)
13 of 17 | The spilled oil was pushed by currents into Grand Port Bay on August 8. (Credit: AFP via Getty Images)
14 of 17 | The sunken ship and spilled oil as seen from the air, Aug. 7, 2020 (Credit: Eric Villars via AP)
15 of 17 | View of the workers on the wrecked oil tanker in Mauritius on August 7. (Credit: Daren Mauree / L'Express Maurice / AFP via Getty Images)
16 of 17 | A man pulls spilled oil from the water on August 8. (Credit: Jean Aurelio Prudence / L'Express Maurice / AFP via Getty Images)
17 of 17 | This satellite image shows the leak and the ship, on August 7 (Credit: Maxar Technologies via AP)(CNN) - A ship that spilled tons of oil off the coast of Mauritius broke apart, authorities said Saturday.
"At around 4:30 pm, a major detachment of the ship's bow section was observed," the Mauritius National Crisis Committee said in a statement.
The Japanese-owned ship, MV Wakashio, ran aground at Pointe d'Esny in late July and began spilling tons of oil into a pristine Indian Ocean lagoon last week.
A massive clean-up operation had been carried out involving thousands of local volunteers. But a crack inside the ship's hull expanded earlier this week, according to the ship's operator, Mitsui OSK Lines, a Japanese company.
Tal Harris, communications coordinator for Greenpeace Africa International, told CNN that authorities "have declared the area a no-go zone" and volunteers have been asked to cease their activities.
Earlier this week, Sunil Dowarkasing, a former Greenpeace International strategist and former Member of Parliament in Mauritius, told CNN that one of the ship's three oil tanks had already leaked into the ocean and that crews were trying to extract the oil from the vessels. other tanks before the ship broke down.
It is not clear how much oil was extracted before Saturday. Earlier this week, the operator, Mitsui OSK Lines, noted that around 1,180 metric tons of oil had leaked from the ship's fuel tank, with about 460 tons manually recovered from the sea and shore. The ship was carrying around 3,800 tons of very low sulfur fuel oil and 200 tons of diesel, according to the operator.
Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth had declared a state of environmental emergency.
"We are in a situation of environmental crisis," said Kavy Ramano, the country's environment minister.
The spill is close to two environmentally protected marine ecosystems and the Blue Bay Marine Park Reserve. Nearby are several popular tourist beaches and mangrove plantations.
The MV Wakashio was heading from China to Brazil when it ran aground on the reef on July 25.
oil spill Mauritius
