A stricken Japanese oil tanker that’s leaked tons of oil into the Indian Ocean off the island nation of Mauritius split apart Saturday, spreading remaining fuel into the area.
The Mauritius National Crisis Committee shared photos on social media of the MV Wakashio, saying the boat “split in two pieces” with tug boats “already at work.”
“Booms had been placed already around the ship and the skimmer boat is also present as precautionary measures,” the group said.
The Wakashio struck a reef on July 25 and its hull began to crack after days of pounding waves before finally splitting this weekend.
After becoming stranded in the water, some 1,000 tons of fuel began to leak on Aug. 6.
Officials said a plan to tow the ship to shore has been “implemented” and the clean-up operation is ongoing, Sky News reported.
Oil barriers were in place and a skimmer ship was nearby by the time the vessel broke apart.
Most of the remaining 3,000 tons of fuel had been pumped off the ship in the past week as environmental groups warned that the damage to coral reefs and once-pristine coastal areas could be irreversible.
In a statement, the committee said: “Discussions were held during the morning of August 15, 2020, with foreign experts with regards to the action plan for the cleaning of affected sites and to the subsequent rehabilitation of the marine and coastal ecosystem of the region.”
The ship’s leak last month prompted a state of environmental emergency to be declared, with the Mauritian government now under pressure to explain why immediate action wasn’t taken to empty the ship of its fuel.
Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth has blamed bad weather for the slow response.
The Mauritian government is seeking compensation from the owner, Nagashiki Shipping.
The company has said that “residual” amounts of fuel remained on the ship after pumping. It is also investigating why the ship went off course.
The ship was meant to stay at least 10 miles from shore.