Time.news – The images of Negombo beach, a popular tourist destination in Sri Lanka, covered with debris, especially plastic elements, and fossil fuels coming from the container ship X-Press Pearl, on fire for eight days off the Asian island.
The president of the country’s Port Authority, Daya Rathnayake, said that the fire is now more contained but that it has not yet been possible to board due to excessive temperatures.
© Afp
Ship in flames off the coast of Sri Lanka
The vessel, registered in Singapore, was transporting chemicals and cosmetics from India to the port of Colombo when, 14 kilometers from the destination, it had to deal with a fire that developed with great speed. The Sri Lankan navy is working, assisted by the Indian one and by experts from Europe, to try to limit the damage, tfears that the ship will break up and start an even more serious environmental disaster.
The rough sea and the monsoon winds have hampered, in recent days, the rescue operations which involved military helicopters and specialized tugs. If the X-Press Pearl were to sink, hundreds of tons of oil could spill into the sea, devastating an already fragile marine ecosystem.
© Afp
Debris and oil deposited on the beaches of Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) chairman Dharshani Lahandapura said the crew was aware of a nitric acid leak on board the ship even before it entered Sri Lankan waters and the fire. it could have been avoided.
“Now our best option is to continue cleaning the beaches. We believe the operation will take a few weeks, if not months,” he added, asking authorities to monitor air and water quality to understand the impact of the accident.
Debris and oil deposited on the beaches of Sri Lanka
Navy personnel, equipped in fireproof suits, were sent to Negombo to clean millions of plastic granules mixed with oil. A containment plan has already been prepared but the hope is that it can be avoided. Colombo will file a police complaint against the ship’s captain, who was rescued along with other crew members on Tuesday.
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