A ship that has leaked more than 1,000 tons of oil into independent waters off the coast of Mauritius has split in two.
The Japanese-owned bulk carrier MV Wakashio landed on a coral reef off the southeast coast of Mauritius on July 25 and began oiling more than a week later, threatening a protected marine park with mangrove forests and endangered species.
“It was confirmed on August 15 that the ship was broken into in two,” the ship’s operator Mitsui OSK Lines said in a statement on Sunday, noting that the information came from the ship’s owner, Nagashiki Shipping.
Almost all of the remaining 3,000 tons of oil were then pumped from the ship at the time, although there were still 90 tons on board, and much of it remained from the leak.
Mitsui stated on Sunday that “an amount of unrecovered oil is believed to have leaked from the ship”, without providing details.
Mauritius has declared an environmental emergency and thousands of Mauritians have volunteered day and night to clean the powder blue waters that have been a favorite among honeymooners and tourists.
The spill is an environmental and economic disaster for Mauritius, which is heavily dependent on tourism.
Removing the ship will likely take months and sscientists say the full impact of the game is still lacking, but the damage could affect Mauritius and its economy-dependent economy for decades.
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