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The container ship "X-Press Pearl" burned off the coast of Sri Lanka in May.
It was in distress shortly before entering the port of Colombo on May 20.
Photo: Xinhua / imago images
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The fire raged for 13 days before it could be extinguished, and several containers went overboard.
In the meantime the ship has partially sunk.
Chemicals and plastic had caught fire on board - the cargo of the "X-Press Pearl".
The picture shows oil and green discoloration in the water around the ship.
Photo: Sri Lanka Air Force / dpa
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The consequences of the accident are only gradually becoming apparent.
Debris and tons of plastic raw materials washed up on this beach after the ship had burned for almost three weeks.
Photo: LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI / AFP
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Members of the Navy work on the disposal of the toxic waste.
The ship had 81 containers loaded with dangerous chemicals, including 25 tons of nitric acid.
The authorities speak of the worst maritime disaster ever in Sri Lanka.
Photo: ISHARA S. KODIKARA / AFP
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Satellite images show the site of the accident in the Indian Ocean.
The ship sailed under the flag of Singapore.
Nothing has yet become known about the cause of the accident.
Photo: AP
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The recovery of the cargo and the rubble is time-consuming.
Workers on Negombo Beach, northwest of Colombo, wear protective clothing.
Meanwhile, a criminal investigation has been launched against the members of the crew.
Photo: CHAMILA KARUNARATHNE / EPA
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The Colombo government is demanding $ 40 million in damages from the ship's operators.
Environmentalists also want to sue those responsible.
The accusation is that they reacted too late to the accident.
Allegedly, nitric acid is said to have already leaked from a tank container in the port.
Photo: CHAMILA KARUNARATHNE / EPA
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It is now clear that the consequences for the environment are devastating.
Here lies a dead bloated fish on the beach that was washed ashore.
In addition, the carcasses of 48 turtles and eight dolphins have washed up in the past few weeks, it is said.
The death of a nine-meter-long blue whale that was washed ashore on Kayts Island is still under investigation.
Photo: CHAMILA KARUNARATHNE / EPA
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A dead crab between plastic: Most animals died of poisoning.
Traces of fire were also found on many of the carcasses found.
In order to definitively determine the cause of death, autopsies would be performed on the animals.
Photo: CHAMILA KARUNARATHNE / EPA
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A salvage company had tried to tow the ship, which was more than 185 meters long.
But the towing process had to be stopped because the stern of the "X-Press Pearl" hit the seabed.
Photo: AP
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Some residents of the region went looking for something that could be used in the rubble.
They walked around among the sometimes toxic garbage without protective clothing.
Photo: Eranga Jayawardena / AP
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How long the recovery work will take is difficult to say.
New garbage is washed up again and again.
Photo: DINUKA LIYANAWATTE / REUTERS
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