MV Wakashio - The African Mirror

Dec

2020

Mauritius shipping disaster caused by lack of attention to safety – owner

JAPAN'S Nagashiki Shipping said on Friday the grounding of one of its large bulk carriers that caused an ecological disaster in Mauritius was due to a lack of safety awareness and a failure to follow rules as it pledged better training and oversight. The findings were assumptions based on interviews with crew members, the company said. A bulk carrier owned by Nagashiki and chartered by Mitsui OSK ran aground on a reef in Mauritius in July and began leaking oil, causing an ecological disaster in the pristine seas around the Indian Ocean island. Four people died when a tug sank…

Sep

2020

By The African Mirror

Mauritius must protect vulnerable coastal communities from the effects of the oil spill

ENVIRONMENT

ROSABELLA BOSWELL, Professor of Ocean Cultures and Heritage, Nelson Mandela University ON 25 July 2020, the Japanese ship, MV Wakashio, ran aground the coral reef off the eastern coast of Mauritius. The vessel discharged more than 1,000 tonnes of oil into the island’s pristine lagoon including its Blue Bay Marine reserve. The situation is critical because Mauritius is a biodiversity hotspot. But beyond the environmental consequences, there’s the human impact. Oil spills have major social and health implications. People exposed can suffer from liver damage, skin and lung disorders, increased cancer risk, reproductive damage and post traumatic stress. Responding to…

Sep

2020

By The African Mirror

Mauritius oil spill: how coral reefs, mangroves and seagrass could be affected

ENVIRONMENT

SIVAJYODEE SANNASSY PILLY, PhD Candidate in Marine Ecology, Bangor University JOHN TURNER, Professor of Marine Biology and Head of School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University RONAN ROCHE, Research Fellow in Marine Science, Bangor University SOMETIMES bad things happen in the worst possible places – like the MV Wakashio running aground on shallow reefs off the south-east coast of Mauritius on July 25. The wreck of the bulk carrier ship began leaking oil in front of a nature reserve island (Ile aux Aigrettes), a couple of kilometres from a marine park (Blue Bay), and close to an internationally important wetland area…

Aug

2020

By The African Mirror

‘Heartwrenching’: at least 40 dolphins dead near Mauritius oil spill

ENVIRONMENT

GIULIA PARAVICINI and KATHARINE HOURELD At least 40 dolphins have mysteriously died in an area of Mauritius affected by an oil spill from a Japanese boat, officials and witnesses said on Friday, as witnesses described the deaths of one mother dolphin and her baby. Environmentalists have demanded an investigation into whether the dolphins were killed as a result of the spill from a Japanese ship, which was scuttled on Monday after running aground in July and leaking oil. The death toll may rise: fisherman Yasfeer Heenaye said he saw between 25 and 30 apparently dead dolphins floating in the lagoon…

Aug

2020

By The African Mirror

Oil not found in dead Mauritius dolphins – preliminary autopsy

ENVIRONMENT

GIULIA PARAVICINI THE cause of death of 25 dolphins that washed up in Mauritius near the site of an oil spill remains unclear after two of the animals showed no trace of oil in their bodies, a preliminary autopsy report showed on Thursday. "The preliminary results show that the animals did not have trace of hydrocarbon in their respiratory system, nor in their skin, throat or stomach," the report said. Some dolphins washed ashore on Wednesday and more were found on Thursday. Only two of the dolphins found on Wednesday had been examined so far, the report said. Those two…

Aug

2020

By The African Mirror

17 dead dolphins wash up on Mauritius beach near oil spill site

ENVIRONMENT

GIULIA PARAVICINI SEVENTEEN dead dolphins washed up on Mauritius's shore on Wednesday, a government official told Reuters, a month after an oil spill from a Japanese ship that ran aground caused a major ecological disaster in the area. "The dead dolphins had several wounds and blood around their jaws, no trace of oil however. The ones that survived, around ten, seemed very fatigued and could barely swim," said Jasvin Sok Appadu from the fisheries ministry. The dead dolphins have been taken to the Albion Fisheries Research Centre for an autopsy, Appadu said. Results are expected on Wednesday night. A spokeswoman…

Aug

2020

By The African Mirror

Japan ship deviated from shipping lane before Mauritius impact, data shows

ENVIRONMENT

AARON SHELDRICK THE Japanese-owned bulk carrier that ran aground off Mauritius and spilled oil over pristine waters and fragile coral reefs diverted more than 100 kilometres from a regular shipping lane, data from a maritime analysis firm showed. The MV Wakashio, owned by Nagashiki Shipping and chartered by Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd, struck a coral reef on Mauritius's southeast coast on July 25 and later began leaking oil. Two of the ship's officers have since been arrested on charges of endangering safe navigation. The iron-ore carrier was using a well-travelled shipping lane that passes near Mauritius when the accident happened,…

Aug

2020

By The African Mirror

Mauritius arrests captain of Japanese ship that caused oil spill

ENVIRONMENT

Mauritius has arrested the captain of a Japanese bulk carrier that ran aground off its coast, causing a devastating oil spill in one of the world's most pristine maritime environments, police said on Tuesday. "We have arrested the captain of the vessel and another member of the crew. After having been heard by the court they have been denied bail and are still in detention," Inspector Siva Coothen told Reuters. - Thomson Reuters Foundation. In Pictures: Ship leaking oil off #Mauritius breaks apart @AJEnglish https://t.co/Yc7IS0OoRd pic.twitter.com/JUXoLWGusi— showkat shafi (@ShowkatShafi) August 17, 2020 A drone footage showing the extent of the…

Aug

2020

By The African Mirror

Oil spill in Mauritius may thwart years of conservation efforts

ENVIRONMENT

ZEENAT HANSROD Follow Conservationists in Mauritius are navigating unchartered territory as they struggle to assess the damage from the Wakashio oil spill in one of the island's most ecologically sensitive areas. All efforts have been deployed to protect the fragile ecosystem, which has existed for millions of years. “Even in my worst of nightmares, I would never have thought something like that could happen to us,” says Dr Vikash Tatayah, conservation director of the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation (MWF). “We are used to cyclones, droughts or an invasive species, it’s part of nature and we know how to cope with that. But we never thought we would have to…

Aug

2020

By The African Mirror

Mauritius must brace for ‘worst case scenario’ after oil spill, says PM

NEWS

KATHARINE HOURELD and DUNCAN MIRIRI THE Japanese ship that ran aground on a reef off Mauritius two weeks ago has now stopped leaking oil into the Indian Ocean but the island nation must still prepare for "a worst case scenario", Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth said late on Monday. Conservationists said they were starting to find dead fish as well as seabirds covered in oil, increasing fears of an ecological catastrophe despite a massive local cleanup operation that includes making floating booms from leaves and human hair. Jugnauth said the leak from a damaged oil tank on board the stricken vessel,…