Mauritius scrambles to contain second oil spill from damaged tanker

Salvage crews have been racing against time to prevent a second disastrous oil spill off the picture-perfect coastline of Mauritius, with a damaged tanker carrying thousands of tonnes of fuel at risk of splitting apart.

The bulk carrier MV Wakashio ran aground on July 25 with 4,000 tonnes of fuel aboard and began seeping oil last week, staining coral reefs, mangrove forests, and tranquil lagoons in an unprecedented environmental catastrophe for the archipelago nation.

More than 1,000 tonnes have already oozed from the ship, its Japanese operator says, causing untold ecological damage to protected marine parks and fishing grounds that form the backbone of Mauritius' economy.

Fuel was being slowly airlifted from the ship Monday by helicopter to the shore, but efforts to pump more from the hold were being thwarted by rough seas and strong winds.

The weather, which is also fanning the oil slick further up the coast, is not forecast to improve until evening.

Fresh cracks in hull

Some fuel has been removed but 2,500 tonnes remains aboard, said Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth, who warned cracks in the hull were worsening, and there was a very real chance the boat could split.

"We are in an advanced fracturing process. The bulk carrier does not have much time ahead of it," said one scientist working on the emergency effort, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Divers have reported fresh cracks in the hull, while creaking sounds from the vessel could be heard from the southeast shore, where a major clean-up operation is under way to remove treacly sludge coating miles of Mauritius' unspoiled coastline.

Japan on Monday dispatched a six-member team, including members of its coast guard, to assist.

France has sent more than 20 tonnes of technical equipment – including 1.3 kilometres of oil containment booms, pumping equipment, and protective gear – along with technical advisers from nearby Reunion, a French Indian Ocean island.

READ MORE: Mauritius scrambles to counter oil spill from grounded ship

'Deep apology'

A spokesman at Mitsui OSK Lines, which operates the Wakashio, owned by another Japanese company, Nagashiki Shipping, said that it would send a team of experts as soon as Tuesday if they tested negative for coronavirus.

"Nagashiki Shipping deeply apologises to the people of Mauritius and will do their utmost protect the environment and mitigate the effects of the pollution," the Wakashio's owner said in a statement on Monday.

The bulker struck a reef at Pointe d'Esny, an ecological jewel fringed by idyllic beaches, colourful reefs, sanctuaries for rare and endemic wildlife, and protected wetlands.

Aerial images show the enormity of the disaster, with huge stretches of crystal-clear seas around the marooned cargo ship stained a deep inky black.

Thousands of volunteers, many smeared head-to-toe in black sludge, have turned out along the coast since Friday, stringing together miles of improvised floating barriers made of straw in a desperate attempt to hold back the oily tide.

"My friends and I came here today to lend a hand because of the degradation of our environment. The entire marine ecology has been affected by the heavy oil spilled from the ship. We are very affected by this problem," said Eldridge Larhubarbe, a student.

READ MORE: Operator of Japanese ship apologises for oil spill along Mauritius coast

Pressure on government

Police are expected to take statements from the captain and crew of the Wakashio after launching an investigation. Detectives boarded the ship on Sunday and seized the logbook and black box.

The pressure is mounting on the government to explain why more was not done in the two weeks since the vessel ran aground.

Mauritius and its 1.3 million inhabitants depend crucially on the sea for food and ecotourism, having fostered a reputation as a conservation success story and a world-class destination for nature lovers.

The spill is a double blow for tourist operators who had hoped foreign tourists could soon return.

The Indian Ocean nation has no active cases of coronavirus and had declared a wary victory after a long stretch without any new infections, but its borders remain closed.

"It's very sad for us. Our work, the fishermen, the boatmen, there's no work at the moment. It's finished for us now," said Vendanand Dabedeen, a taxi driver in Blue Bay, a protected coastal wetland popular with tourists.