The Singapore-registered MV X-Press Pearl, carrying 1,486 containers, including 25 tonnes of nitric acid along with other chemicals and cosmetics, was anchored off the port city of Negombo when a fire erupted onboard after an explosion on May 20.
Flaming containers filled with chemicals tumbled into the sea from the ship's deck as emergency crews sought to contain the blaze over the ensuing two weeks.
The craft, which has nearly 350 tonnes of oil in its fuel tanks, began to sink early on Wednesday.
A salvage crew tried to tow the vessel to deeper water, away from the coast, but the attempt was abandoned after the rear of the ship touched the sea bed.
Environmentalist Ajantha Perera said there was the potential for 'a terrible environmental disaster' as hazardous goods, chemicals and oil could be released into the water and destroy marine ecological systems.
Charitha Pattiaratchi, a professor of oceanography at the University of Western Australia, said as many as 3 billion tiny plastic pellets had already been released into the sea and were washing up on beaches. He said the pellets, known as nurdles, 'will persist in the marine environment forever as they are not biodegradable.'
Sri Lanka's private Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) said it feared heavy metal pollution in addition to an oil spill from the Singapore-registered vessel, which was carrying 81 containers of 'dangerous cargo' including acids and lead ingots.
'There is a chemical soup in that sea area,' the CEJ's executive director Hemantha Withanage told. 'The damage to the marine ecosystem is incalculable.'
Navy spokesperson Indika de Silva said: 'There is no oil leak from the ship yet, but arrangements are in place to deal with a possible spill which is the worst-case scenario.'
But photos from the country's coast guard showed a layer of green film blanketing the ocean surrounding the vessel.
The inundation of microplastic granules from the ship's containers has already forced a fishing ban and prompted concern for the environment.
'The ban is affecting 4,300 families in my village,' said Denzil Fernando, the head of the Sea Street Fisherman's Association in Negombo.
'Most people live on one meal a day, how long can we go on like this?' Fernando told. 'Either the government must allow us to fish or give us compensation.'
Officials believe the blaze destroyed most of the nearly 1,500 containers on board while some fell overboard.
A cargo manifest showed that in addition to the 81 containers classified as dangerous, it was also carrying a large quantity of lubricant oil.
Authorities believe the fire was caused by a nitric acid leak which the crew apparently knew about from May 11, nine days before the blaze started.
The ship was heading to Colombo from India when the blaze started.
The 25-strong crew was evacuated last week. Two of them suffered minor injuries.
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Source: Daily Mail
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Flaming containers filled with chemicals tumbled into the sea from the ship's deck as emergency crews sought to contain the blaze over the ensuing two weeks.
The craft, which has nearly 350 tonnes of oil in its fuel tanks, began to sink early on Wednesday.
A salvage crew tried to tow the vessel to deeper water, away from the coast, but the attempt was abandoned after the rear of the ship touched the sea bed.
Environmentalist Ajantha Perera said there was the potential for 'a terrible environmental disaster' as hazardous goods, chemicals and oil could be released into the water and destroy marine ecological systems.
Charitha Pattiaratchi, a professor of oceanography at the University of Western Australia, said as many as 3 billion tiny plastic pellets had already been released into the sea and were washing up on beaches. He said the pellets, known as nurdles, 'will persist in the marine environment forever as they are not biodegradable.'
Sri Lanka's private Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) said it feared heavy metal pollution in addition to an oil spill from the Singapore-registered vessel, which was carrying 81 containers of 'dangerous cargo' including acids and lead ingots.
'There is a chemical soup in that sea area,' the CEJ's executive director Hemantha Withanage told. 'The damage to the marine ecosystem is incalculable.'
Navy spokesperson Indika de Silva said: 'There is no oil leak from the ship yet, but arrangements are in place to deal with a possible spill which is the worst-case scenario.'
But photos from the country's coast guard showed a layer of green film blanketing the ocean surrounding the vessel.
The inundation of microplastic granules from the ship's containers has already forced a fishing ban and prompted concern for the environment.
'The ban is affecting 4,300 families in my village,' said Denzil Fernando, the head of the Sea Street Fisherman's Association in Negombo.
'Most people live on one meal a day, how long can we go on like this?' Fernando told. 'Either the government must allow us to fish or give us compensation.'
Officials believe the blaze destroyed most of the nearly 1,500 containers on board while some fell overboard.
A cargo manifest showed that in addition to the 81 containers classified as dangerous, it was also carrying a large quantity of lubricant oil.
Authorities believe the fire was caused by a nitric acid leak which the crew apparently knew about from May 11, nine days before the blaze started.
The ship was heading to Colombo from India when the blaze started.
The 25-strong crew was evacuated last week. Two of them suffered minor injuries.
Source: Daily Mail
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patryn.worldlatestnews
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