COLOMBO: Sri Lankan authorities said Thursday they are preparing for the worst-case scenario of a possible oil leak from the burnt-out cargo ship sinking off Colombo's main harbour.
The Marine Environment Protection Authority readied oil dispersants, booms and skimmers in case of a leak from the MV X-Press Pearl, which has nearly 350 tonnes of oil in its fuel tanks.
Sri Lankan authorities yesterday said that they are preparing for the worst-case scenario of a possible oil leak from a burned-out cargo ship sinking off Colombo’s main harbor.
The Sri Lankan Marine Environment Protection Authority readied oil dispersants, booms and skimmers in case of a leak from the MV X-Press Pearl, which has nearly 350 tonnes of oil in its fuel tanks.
The vessel, which burned for 13 days within sight of the nation’s west coast, has already caused the country’s worst maritime environmental disaster, littering beaches with huge volumes of tiny plastic pellets.
Now that it is sinking, officials fear an even