On July 25th, a ship struck a coral reef at Pointe d’Esny, off the south-east coast of Mauritius, and ran aground. Since then, over 1,000 tons of fuel and oil has leaked into the sea, polluting the coral reefs, pristine lagoons, and white-sand beaches beloved by people around the world. The Indian Ocean island is a famous tourist destination thanks to its natural beauty. Now, that may be in jeopardy.
The marine disaster is not only ecological – endangering fish and other marine life – but economical as well as threatening the island nation’s livelihood. Some scientists have even called the incident the country’s worst ecological catastrophe. What’s worse, the latest news about the bulk carrier MV Wakashio, which is owned by Japan’s Nagashiki Shipping and chartered by Mitsui OSK Lines, is that it’s cracking up (breaking in pieces) and threatening an even greater calamity.
The Mauritius National Crisis Committee said:
At around 4.30 pm, a major detachment of the vessel’s forward section was observed. On the basis of the experts’ advice, the towing plan is being implemented.
Meanwhile, the battle to remove the fuel oil from the vessel continues as the weather worsens. Most of the 2,500 tons of oil it contained has been pumped out, but 166 tons remain. Authorities are working diligently to remove it. They deployed booms over the weekend to help with oil absorption around the ship.
The Japanese environment minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, said Tokyo would send a team of experts to assess the damage and assist with the emergency. France is also joining in the efforts, answering to Mauritius’ appealed for international help. It dispatched a military aircraft and naval vessels with technical advisers from nearby Reunion Island.
The location where the marooned cargo ship sits spewing pollution is an ecological jewel donned with unique wetlands and colorful coral – a vibrant sanctuary for rare wildlife. Aerial images reveal the magnitude of the harm inflicted, with vast stretches of once crystal-clear seas stained a deep inky black.
The slick has spread far, drifting up the coast, fanned along by currents and strong winds. Mangrove forests and once unspoiled inlets are now covered in thick muck, undoing years of painstaking conservation work by dedicated environmental activists. And the situation is doomed to get worse since the weather is forecasted to deteriorate over the next few days with waves expected to reach heights of up to 15 feet (4.5 meters).
Special attention is being directed to the most sensitive sights first, such as the Pointe D’Esny National Ramsar Site, the Blue Bay Marine Park, and Ile aux Aigrettes. Thousands of volunteers have come to help, ignoring official orders to leave the clean-up operation to local authorities. They’ve strung together miles of improvised floating barriers made of straw, slapped on some rubber gloves, and dived right in to sift through the sludge in a desperate attempt to hold back the oily-tide.
Ashok Subron, an environmental activist at one of the worst-hit areas (Mahebourg), said:
People by the thousands are coming together. No one is listening to the government anymore. People have realized that they need to take things into their hands. We are here to protect our fauna and flora.
Mauritius has fostered a reputation as a world-class-destination for nature lovers thanks to its conservation success story. So, its 1.3 million inhabitants depend on the sea for eco-tourism. Sadly, this tragedy could affect Mauritius’ tourism-dependent economy for decades. The scientists don’t know the full impact of the spill yet as it’s still unfolding. France will assist with the clean-up, but the removal of the ship is likely to take months.
