On July 25th, 2020, the Japanese bulk carrier MV Wakashio struck a coral reef southeast of Mauritius, where it began leaking some 1,000 tonnes of fuel starting on August 6th, 2020. A crew of 20 were onboard at the time of the crash, and none were injured in the incident. Though a vast majority of the remaining 3,000 tonnes of fuel have been pumped off the ship in the past weeks, official reports from Mauritius authorities state that the ship has split apart, with the remaining fuel flowing into the ocean.
Environmental groups say that the damage at this point could be irreversible, and have been questioning the Mauritius government over why immediate action was not taken to empty the ship of its fuel. Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth had earlier blamed poor weather conditions for the slow response.
The owner of the MV Wakashio, Nagashiki Shipping, stated that they will be investigation how the ship went off course, as the vessel was supposed to stay at least 16 kilometres (10 miles) from shore. The company has also sent teams to help with the cleanup. Meanwhile, the Mauritius government has declared an environmental emergency, and is seeking compensation from Nagashiki Shipping.
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