Mauritius oil spill: Three clean-up crewmen die as boat capsizes on collision with barge

In yet another sad development to Mauritius oil spill, three sailors are reported to have died and one is missing after their boat capsized while assisting in the clean-up operations. As per BBC reports, four others were rescued after the boat collided with a barge on Monday, August 31.

The accident took place just two days after widespread protests in Mauritius over the government's handling of the oil spill which has suspected to have caused dozens of dolphin deaths in the region. 

READ: Mass Protest In Mauritius Over Handling Of Spill

PM visits rescued sailors

According to reports, barge operator Taylor Smith Group said that the towing boat had been towing the automated freight ship once again from the spill site when the crash occurred. The eight crew members abandoned the ship and four were later rescued and taken to shore, the report added. 

Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth visited the rescued sailors in the hospital and said rescue teams were looking out for the missing crew members. He promised to set up an investigation into the mishap. Earlier, the Mauritius government promised to set up a commission to investigate the oil spill following wide criticism from people who believe the authorities could have done more to handle the situation. 

READ: Mauritius Oil Spill: Thousands Of People Protest In Port Louis Over Dolphin Deaths

Tens of thousands of demonstrators took to streets of Port Louis in Mauritius on Saturday, August 29 demanding answers from the government over its delayed actions to the devasting oil spill from a grounded Japanese ship.

According to the reports, the protestors showed their outrage by honking and drumming as the news of oil spill leading to the death of dozens of dolphins reached them. The protestors displayed signs such as “You have no shame" and “I’ve seen better Cabinets at IKEA" to express their anger and criticism over the island nation's worst environmental disaster ever. 

According to the reports, the protestors marched peacefully through the capital city of Port Louis on Saturday, nearly a month after the ship struck a coral reef near Mauritius' coast leading up to the disaster. The vessel later split into two and spilled around 1,000 tons of fuel oil into fragile marine areas. 

Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth declared a ‘state of environmental emergency’ as the grounded Japanese vessel started to leak fuel into the waters earlier this month. The ship was is reported to have been carrying nearly 3,800 tonnes of low-sulphur fuel oil, 207 tonnes of diesel, and 90 tonnes of lube oil. 

READ: Thousands Protest In Mauritius Over Handling Of Spill

READ: Autopsy Finds Wounds But No Trace Of Oil On Dead Dolphins That Washed Up In Mauritius