NAIROBI, Kenya – The captain of the ship that ran aground in Mauritius and ran about 1,000 tons of oil in the Indian Ocean has been arrested, his lawyer said on Tuesday.
The captain, Sunil Kumar Nandeshwar, was arrested in a district court in the country’s capital, Port Louis, on account of endangering the safe navigation of a ship, a crime under Mauritian maritime laws.
Mr Nandeshwar, an Indian citizen, was arrested next to the ship’s chief officer, Tilak Ratna Suboda, a Sri Lankan. The two were seized by police and will appear in court again on August 25, said Ilshad Munsoor, Mr Nandeshwar’s lawyer, in a telephone interview.
The island nation of about 1.3 million people still has to deal with protecting its world-famous coral reefs and crystal clear lagoons after the spill.
The MV Wakashio, a Japanese-owned Panama-based bulk carrier, went off course on a coral reef off the island nation’s coast on July 25. Less than two weeks later, the ship, carrying 4,000 tons of fuel oil, began to leak, leading to an ecological disaster that could have far-reaching consequences for the country’s food security, economy and tourism.
Local news media reported that a preliminary investigation by police revealed the crew had a party the night the ship ran aground.
By the time authorities stopped the leak, 1,000 tons of oil had been spilled into the sea, with the slick endangered environmentally sensitive zones such as the Ile aux Aigrettes nature reserve and the Blue Bay Marine Park.
Authorities, which had received support from countries including France and India, said on Saturday that the ship broke in two. While much of the 3,000 tons of remaining oil was extracted, there were still 90 tons of oil on board. To prevent further damage, nearly seven miles of protective bombs have been planted around the ship and some parts of the island, the National Crisis Management Committee said on Monday.
Mauritius, located off the east coast of Africa, is known for its picturesque beaches and coral reefs and mangrove forests rich in rich biodiversity. Tourism is a major pillar of its economy, raising about $ 1.6 billion in 2018.
But the pandemic and its consequent shutdown have limited this income this year. Hotels and parks remain empty as the suspension of international flights has kept foreign visitors to the country.
After the leak, thousands of Mauritians responded both inside and outside the country by donating money, creating awareness on social media and participating in clean-up efforts. Volunteers made artisanal bombs and filled them with leg hair, sugar cane streams, plastic bottles and other items to stop and awaken the spread of the oil.
However, many Mauritians remain angry about how the government is reacting to the rotten ship, saying officials need to act more urgently before it starts leaking. While welcoming the captain’s arrest on Tuesday, Reuben Pillay, the director of Reubs Vision, a company that provides virtual tours of Mauritius, said he wanted even more answers from the government.
“Shall we know the truth?” Mr. Pillay asked about the ship and the running land off the coast of the island. “We think there’s more to this story.”
