Colombo-Sana
Sri Lankan authorities announced today that a cargo ship carrying chemicals sank off the coast of the capital Colombo today, after it had been blazing for days, raising fears of a possible environmental disaster.
The Associated Press quoted the director of the Marine Environmental Protection Agency in Sri Lanka, Darshani Lhandapura, as saying that the ship sank today and nothing can be done about it now due to the strong winds, high waves and the seriousness of the situation.
The ship's operator, Xpress Feders, confirmed the sinking incident and said that the wreck of the Singapore-flagged Xpress Pearl sank, leaving the ship completely in the depths of the sea at a depth of 21 metres.
A rescue team has been dispatched to the scene to deal with any possible spread of wreckage or a spill of oil or chemicals that were on board the ship.
The monsoon season began last month and will continue until next September. Until that time, the area was closed and a business was contacted until the shipwreck was removed.
The ship broke out on May 20, while it was anchored 18 kilometers northwest of Colombo, waiting to enter the port. The authorities managed to put out the fire last week, and the ship has since been sinking.
The authorities suggested that the fire erupted as a result of a shipment of chemicals carried by the ship, which included 25 tons of nitric acid, in addition to other chemicals, causing pollution to nearby beaches, amid fears that oil or remaining chemicals from the ship could leak and cause serious damage and an environmental disaster to marine life.