June 7, 2021
2 mins read

Cargo ship fire: Dead animals drift ashore in SL

The dead marine creatures were found on beaches from Puttalam in the northwest to Mirissa in the south….report Asian Lite News

Sri Lankan government officials have said that bodies of more than 10 turtles, a dolphin, fish and birds have washed up on the country’s beaches after the burning of the X-Press Pearl container ship.

In a statement on Sunday, the Department of Wildlife Conservation officials said an investigation was underway to ascertain the cause of death of these marine species, reports Xinhua news agency.

The dead marine creatures were found on beaches from Puttalam in the northwest to Mirissa in the south.

Two turtles with injuries were also found on the Unawatuna beach in the south, according to the media reports.

“Most of the turtles that were found dead on the beaches off Panadura and Wellawatte had their carapaces broken. One dead turtle at the Unawatuna beach was found with injures,” an official involved in the investigation told the local Daily Mirror newspaper.

Photo taken on June 2, 2021 shows part of the X Press Pearl, a container ship burnt near the Colombo Port, in Colombo, Sri Lanka. (Sri Lanka Air Force Media/Handout via Xinhua/IANS)

A link between the marine life death and the burning of the X-Press Pearl container ship is expected to be the focus in the investigation.

The Singapore-flagged vessel was carrying 1,486 containers with 25 tonnes of nitric acid and several other chemicals and cosmetics when arriving from India on May 15.

ALSO READ: Floods strike Covid-hit Sri Lanka

It sent out a distress call while being close to the Colombo port on May 20 and soon caught fire resulting in Sri Lanka Navy dispatching vessels in efforts to fight the fire onboard.

Sri Lanka’s Marine Environment Protection Authority has said the burning of the vessel caused a massive environmental disaster as many beaches were damaged by the debris washing ashore.

Photo taken on June 2, 2021 shows part of the X Press Pearl, a container ship burnt near the Colombo Port, in Colombo, Sri Lanka. (Sri Lanka Air Force Media/Handout via Xinhua/IANS)

The government has said a large number of marine life have been killed as a result of the pollution caused by the fire, while the fisheries department has imposed a temporary ban on fishing from the southern to the western coast.

A criminal probe is presently underway into the cause of the fire on board the X-Press Pearl ship.

Earlier Sunday, police said investigators have received the ship’s voyage data recorder which contains all the communication dialogues between the captain, the ship’s parent company and the local shipping agent.

The Navy said an oil spill has not been detected from the burnt vessel, which was about 18.52 km away from the Colombo port.

ALSO READ: Floods strike Covid-hit Sri Lanka

Previous Story

Floods strike Covid-hit Sri Lanka

Next Story

Charities, former ministers slam planned aid cuts

Latest from -Top News

Namibia voices concern over US tariffs

AGOA is a non-reciprocal trade arrangement aimed at supporting development in African countries through preferential access to US markets The Namibian government has expressed concern over newly imposed US tariffs, warning that

Africa CDC calls for self-reliance

Data from the African Union’s specialised healthcare agency show that the continent, over the past 24 months, has witnessed an “unprecedented surge in public health emergencies,” rising from 152 disease outbreaks in

US to revoke all South Sudan visas

Trump’s administration has taken aggressive measures to ramp up immigration enforcement, including the repatriation of people deemed to be in the US illegallyThe US said on Saturday it would revoke all visas

Panama wants ‘respectful’ ties with US

The US State Department said Landau had “expressed gratitude for Panama’s cooperation in halting illegal immigration and working with the US to secure a nearly 98% decrease in illegal immigration Panama hopes
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Trincomalee Key to India’s Dominance in Indian Ocean

Napoleon had once said “He who controls Trincomalee controls the

Former SL Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera dies of Covid

Local media quoting medical officers said Samaraweera had developed complications