Thread by @Telegraph

🚢A burnt-out container ship has caused Sri Lanka's worst maritime environmental disaster.

🛢️It is now sinking with nearly 350 tonnes of oil in its fuel tanks, and authorities fear this oil could leak into the ocean.

Thread 🧵

telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/06/0…

🔥The MV X-Press Pearl, carrying hundreds of containers of chemicals and plastics, burned for 13 days just outside Colombo's harbour.

Rescue workers finally extinguished the blaze on Tuesday

🚢Officials believe the blaze destroyed most of the 1,486 containers on board.

81 containers were carrying chemicals, including 25 tonnes of nitric acid which had been leaking since May 11th, nine days before the fire broke out

A huge amount of plastic debris from the ship has already inundated beaches.

🎣The inundation of microplastic granules from the cargo has already forced a fishing ban and prompted concern for wildlife and the marine environment

❌Authorities now fear an even greater disaster should the ship's 297 tonnes of heavy fuel oil and 51 tonnes of marine fuel oil leak into the Indian Ocean

🛢️A photographer who reached the area by boat said he saw a narrow slick of oil coming from the stern of the Singapore-registered vessel.

Some oil was also visible near the beaches of Negombo, about 40km from Colombo, although it was not clear if it was from the stricken ship

🗣️Marine Environment Protection Authority chief Dharshani Lahandapura said the ecological damage was still being assessed but believed it was the "worst ever in my lifetime"

Read the full report here 👇
telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/06/0…