The world woke up to a disaster on the 25th of July 2020 when leading aquatic starliner vessel MV Wakashio crashed onto a coral reef and ran aground close to Mauritius.
Although crew was successfully evacuated, the events that have transpired a few days later, are pointing to a major environmental catastrophe with oil leaking into the Indian Ocean thereby affecting the Island Nation of Mauritius. It is estimated that the carrier was carrying close to 4000 tonnes of oil.
An environmental destruction of aquatic organisms and habitats is underway with many species being immobilised. Local efforts are underway to try and clean-up the area with stakeholders, government, volunteers and NGOs being involved in one way or another.
A local NGO Casela Nature Parks has made announcement that it will be providing shelter for birds and assist in their care, clean-up and rehabilitation. Residents of the Island nation now fear for the worst as the spillage of oil spreads in its precincts.
Preliminary efforts are involving use of sugarcane leaves and straw to act as an absorbent material to create barriers for containing the spillage.
Owned by the Japanese shipping company Nagashiki Shipping, believed to be registered in Panama, it is clear that this incident of MV Wakashio will shake Mauritius and its ability to deal with emergency situations. It is the first time that Mauritius is facing an unprecedented environmental disaster of such magnitude.
International NGOs and environmentalists have raised their ire over the disaster as having cast a dark cloud in the efforts to conserve pristine aquatic environments.
The incident has generated media fever, grabbing the attention of Global Media Institutions, thereby making the MV Wakashio case, a running story.
Amid all the media frenzy, global stakeholders have expressed anxiety at the nature of the oil spillage, as the future of aquatic life is in peril.
The incident will have far reaching effects on biodiversity of wetlands, especially in the precincts where the vessel has stood motionless for over a fortnight.
The cargo ship is reported to have leaked more than 1000 tonnes from its 4000 tonnes of fuel.
Meanwhile, the Mauritian leader, Pravid Jugnauth has since declared the incident a “State of Environmental Emergency”.
The small island is incapacitated to respond to the emergency and France is reported to have come to the rescue.
Remarks by French President, Emmanuel Macron are a testimony of how global leaders are indebted to issues of biodiversity and the environment.
“When biodiversity is in peril there is urgency to act. France is there, alongside the people of Mauritius. You can count on our support dear Jugnauth”, says French President Emmanuel Macron on his micro-blogging twitter account.
Nagashiki Shipping, owners of the vessel claim to have mechanisms devised to mitigate the impacts of the oil spillage. “Oil prevention measures are in place and an oil boom has been deployed around the vessel.”
The MV Wakashio oil leakage in Mauritius adds to the statistics of the escalation of oil spillages that have occurred in the past in different locations across the world.
Most of these were scientifically proven to cause the destruction of habitats meant for birds, marine mammals, sea turtles and dozens of fish.
