Photos: Large oil-spill blemishes Mauritius’ picture-perfect coastline

MV Wakashio, a Japanese bulk carrier operated by Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd., got stuck off the Mauritius coast on July 25 with 4,000 tonnes of fuel. The vessel began seeping oil last week. 1,000 tonnes of oil is estimated to have spilled till now and soiled coral reefs, mangrove forests and tranquil lagoons in this archipelago in the Indian Ocean. Nagashiki Shipping, that owns the vessel has issued a public apology and pledged maximum support to restore the damage done by their vessel. Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth has declared the oil spill as an environmental emergency as expert report the vessel risks exploding in light of new cracks developing on it.

Updated on: Aug 11, 2020 3:25 PM IST

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An aerial view shows the bulk carrier ship MV Wakashio that ran aground on a reef at Riviere des Creoles in Mauritius, on August 10. MV Wakashio has leaked at least an estimated 1,000 tonnes of oil after it ran ashore off the southeastern coast of the island of Mauritius on July 25, Reuters reported. (French Army command via REUTERS)

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MV Wakashio seen aground off the coast of Mauritius on August 10. The 300-meter-long vessel was en route to Brazil from China and one of its five fuel oil tanks, holding about 1,180 tons, ruptured last week off the Mauritius coast. (Dev Ramkhelawon / L'Express Maurice / REUTERS)

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A dead starfish is seen following oil spill from the bulk carrier ship at Riviere des Creoles in Mauritius on August 10. AFP reported that the oilspill has caused untold ecological damage to protected marine parks and fishing grounds that form the backbone of Mauritius’ economy. (Reuben Pillay / REUTERS)

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A view of the oil polluting the foreshore of the public beach at Riviere des Creoles in Mauritius on August 8.The incident has befouled the white-sand beaches of the Mauritian coast and left the Indian Ocean island nation facing widespread pollution. Its economy, which relies heavily on tourism, is already reeling from the coronavirus fallout and may be further affected by the spill, Reuters reported. (Sophie Seneque via AP)

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A volunteer works to clear leaked oil from Wakashio at Riviere des Creoles in Mauritius on August 10. “My friends and I came here today to lend a hand because of the degradation of our environment. The entire marine ecology has been affected by the heavy oil spilled from the ship. We are very affected by this problem,” Eldridge Larhubarbe, a student told AFP. (Dev Ramkhelawon / L'Express Maurice / REUTERS)

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Volunteers carry a handmade oil barrier to block leaked oil from the ship at the beach in Bambous Virieux in Mauritius on August 10. AFP reported that thousands of volunteers have turned out along the coast since August 7, stringing together miles of improvised floating barriers made of straw in a desperate attempt to hold back the oily tide. (L'Express Maurice / AFP)

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A man collects leaked from the ship at Riviere des Creoles in Mauritius on August 10. According to an AFP report, divers have reported fresh cracks in the hull, while creaking sounds from the vessel could be heard from the southeast shore, where a major clean-up operation is underway to remove treacly sludge coating miles of Mauritius’ previously unspoiled coastline. (Dev Ramkhelawon / L'Express Maurice / REUTERS)

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A set of comparative images show waters near Pointe d’Esny before and after the oil leak on August 1 and August 6. Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth told Reuters that the ship has now stopped leaking oil into the Indian Ocean but the island nation must still prepare for “a worst case scenario.” Mauritius declared a state of emergency after environmentalists said it could be a major ecological crisis. (Courtesy of European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-2 Imagery via REUTERS)

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Oil leaking off the southeast coast of Mauritius on August 10. The ship, MV Wakashio, is owned by Nagashiki Shipping and operated by Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd. “We will do our utmost towards resolving the situation quickly,” the company told Reuters in a statement. (Mauritian Wildlife Foundation Ministry via AP)