Sri Lanka questions crew after burning cargo leaves debris, plastic pollution on beaches

As Sri Lankan Navy soldiers launched a rigorous initiative to clean debris, plastic pollution washed ashore from container ship MV X-Press Pearl that was caught ablaze on May 20, officials on Sunday launched a probe against vessel’s crew for spilling a large amount of microplastic and carrying 25 tonnes of nitric acid on ship before it entered Colombo harbour.

still under fumes Singapore flagged cargo, anchored just outside Colombo harbour [at 9.5 nautical miles 18 km northwest] spilled chemical granules used to manufacture plastic on beach in Ja-Ela, that also washed on beaches of Wattala to Negombo in island nation’s suburbs. container vessel h loed at port of Hazira in India on May 15, according to Sri Lankan press reports.

scrap from 186-meter (610-foot) burning vessel floated into Sri Lanka’s pristine beaches, some of which also polluted  Indian Ocean. microplastic granules from vessel’s 1,500 containers have caused one of worst ecological disasters in Sri Lanka’s history prompting fishing bans. In visuals that emerged, Sri Lankan soldiers were seen attired in Protective hazmat suits toiling to rapidly clean plastic len beaches, accumulating granules into sacks for safe disposal. Bulldozers scooped tonnes of polyne pellets generally used in packaging industry. 

Singapore registered X-Press Pearl vessel h been on fire for past 11 days, and while oil and debris from ship carrying chemicals and cosmetics have caused a blanket of unmanageable marine pollution, re are looming fears of a major environmental disaster if ship, which is still too hot from fire to get onboard or two, sinks. 

Indian Navy les collaborative effort with Sri Lankan Navy

Sri Lankan navy h been working under collaborative efforts of Indian Navy that deployed Vaibhav, Vajra and Samudra Prehari vessels of  Indian Coast Guard, firefighters, and salvagers from Dutch company SMIT to douse fire on cargo X-Press Pearl, which caused 40 kilometres (25 miles) oil spill. concern, however, now remains to anchor wrecked vessel into deeper waters, which is me hard by rough sea tide and powerful monsoonal winds.

At least two of ship’s crew members were bly injured and hospitalized, and one was diagnosed with COVID-19. rest of 25-member crew of Russian, Chinese, Philippine, and Indian nationals, all of whom rescued by Sri Lanka Navy on 25 May, are now being investigated. 

Sri Lanka's Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA)  chief Dharshani Lahandapura told reporters that Sri Lanka was still accessing intensity of damage incurred to marine ecosystem, but plastic pellets h covered entire coastline in disaster that he described as "worst ever” in course of his lifetime.

Sri Lanka's Police Inspector-General ordered Criminal Investigation Department to probe environmental hazard and cause of mishap. authorities were able to interrogate 25-member crew that has recently completed mandatory quarantine period on May 30. MEPA told presser that vessel’s captain was aware of nitric acid leak onboard cargo container.