About 1000 tons of crude oil has been spilled into the Indian ocean after a Japanese bulk carrier ship suffered an accident near the island nation of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean region according to foreign media.
The Japanese ship, MV Wakashio, ran aground on a coral reef about a mile off Mauritius on July 25, and prolonged pounding by heavy surf caused the vessel to crack about two weeks later. It spilled an estimated 1,000 tons of oil about a quarter of the ship’s total cargo into the Indian Ocean, polluting the island’s once pristine coastline.
The Prime Minister of Mauritius stated that with the increase in the monsoon weather, there is a risk that other fuel onboard the ship will be spilled into the Indian sea in the coming days. Scientists point out that such a situation would pose a serious threat to the Indian Ocean region.
Meanwhile, environmentalists point out that the spilled fuel is causing severe damage to coastal areas near the archipelago of Mauritius and to marine life, including coral reefs.
More than a thousand relief workers are working to remove crude oil from the ocean to save the ecosystem and the coast of Mauritius from the catastrophe, foreign media said, adding that France has also joined its relief teams.
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