Mauritius is reeling from a spreading oil spill – and people are angry with how the government has handled it: On the evening of Saturday July 25, the MV (Merchant Vessel) Wakashio
grounded on coral reefs in the south-east of the Indian Ocean tropical
island of Mauritius. The ship, a Japanese-owned but Panama-registered
bulk carrier designed to transport unpackaged goods such as coal or
grain, was empty of cargo but had an estimated 200 tons of diesel and
3,800 tons of heavy fuel oil onboard. The ship sat for over a week
before cracks emerged in its hull.

Fuel oil began to leak into the expansive turquoise blue lagoon outside the coastal village of Mahébourg. Striking satellite images
show the resulting oil spill weaving a black slick between the mainland
at Pointe D’Esny and the flat round island of Ile-aux-Aigrettes. The
impacts seen closer up are gruesome. On August 7, nearly two weeks after the shipwreck, the government declared the incident a national emergency.

Mauritius is reeling from a spreading oil spill – and people are angry with how the government has handled it: On the evening of Saturday July 25, the MV (Merchant Vessel) Wakashio
grounded on coral reefs in the south-east of the Indian Ocean tropical
island of Mauritius. The ship, a Japanese-owned but Panama-registered
bulk carrier designed to transport unpackaged goods such as coal or
grain, was empty of cargo but had an estimated 200 tons of diesel and
3,800 tons of heavy fuel oil onboard. The ship sat for over a week
before cracks emerged in its hull.Fuel oil began to leak into the expansive turquoise blue lagoon outside the coastal village of Mahébourg. Striking satellite images
show the resulting oil spill weaving a black slick between the mainland
at Pointe D’Esny and the flat round island of Ile-aux-Aigrettes. The
impacts seen closer up are gruesome. On August 7, nearly two weeks after the shipwreck, the government declared the incident a national emergency.Read More

Ecological Disaster in the Making as Oil Slick Spreads Off Mauritius Coast – The Energy Mix: The spill threatens an ecological disaster that would affect corals, fish, and other marine life on and around the island, Al Jazeera writes.

“Our country doesn’t have the skills and expertise to refloat stranded ships,” Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth said Friday, warning that the spill “represents a danger” for a nation of 1.3 million that depends on tourism and has been hit hard by the pandemic.

“Thousands of species around the pristine lagoons of Blue Bay, Pointe d’Esny, and Mahebourg are at risk of drowning in a sea of pollution, with dire consequences for Mauritius’ economy, food security, and health,” said Greenpeace Africa climate and energy manager Happy Khambule.

Ecological Disaster in the Making as Oil Slick Spreads Off Mauritius Coast – The Energy Mix: The spill threatens an ecological disaster that would affect corals, fish, and other marine life on and around the island, Al Jazeera writes.“Our country doesn’t have the skills and expertise to refloat stranded ships,” Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth said Friday, warning that the spill “represents a danger” for a nation of 1.3 million that depends on tourism and has been hit hard by the pandemic.“Thousands of species around the pristine lagoons of Blue Bay, Pointe d’Esny, and Mahebourg are at risk of drowning in a sea of pollution, with dire consequences for Mauritius’ economy, food security, and health,” said Greenpeace Africa climate and energy manager Happy Khambule.Read More