Oil and Chemical Cargo Carrier Begins Sinking in the Indian Ocean

Photo by AFP News Agency

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] Bloomberg reported on the 2nd (local time) that a Singapore-flagged container ship, which had been burning for over ten days off the coast of Sri Lanka, has finally begun to sink.

The ship was carrying crude oil and a large amount of toxic chemicals, raising concerns about the worst environmental pollution in the Indian Ocean.

According to reports, the Singapore-flagged vessel 'MV X-Press Pearl,' which caught fire in the western waters of Sri Lanka, has started sinking from the stern.

Earlier, the Sri Lankan Navy attempted to tow the damaged ship out to the open sea using tugboats but was unsuccessful.

The owner of MV X-Press Pearl, X-Press Feeders, expressed concern, stating, "Since part of the ship is submerged, the risk of pollution is high."

The 186-meter-long ship was carrying 278 tons of bunker oil, 50 tons of gas, 25 tons of nitric acid, and 1,486 containers including other chemicals.

The Sri Lankan government is preparing for a full-scale oil spill from the ship. Kanchana Wijesekera, Sri Lanka's Minister of Fisheries, stated that if oil leaks due to the sinking, equipment will be deployed to collect the oil.

MV X-Press Pearl caught fire on the 20th of last month while waiting to enter the port 18 km northwest of Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka.

The fire was completely extinguished on the 1st, 12 days after it started, but the use of water and explosions during firefighting severely damaged the hull, leading to the sinking.

Mudisa Katuwawala of the Sri Lankan marine protection group 'Pearl Protectors' called the sinking of MV X-Press Pearl "the worst-case scenario," adding, "If oil leaks, the pollution will be much worse."

Bloomberg reported that a huge amount of plastic debris from the ship has covered the coast, and dead fish, birds, and sea turtles are washing up on the beaches, making marine pollution a reality.

The Washington Post (WP) pointed out that if crude oil and other substances leak into the sea due to the sinking, many more wild animals could die and ecosystems could be destroyed.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.