Sri Lanka is seeking USD 40 million in damages from operator of the ship that caused massive pollution after it caught fire off the country's west coast, officials said on Saturday.
Ports and shipping minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena said an interim claim had been lodged with X-Press Feeders, which controls the Singapore-registered MV X-Press Pearl.
The vessel has been submerged off Colombo since June 2. Prior to that, it burnt for almost two weeks. The ship released tonnes of plastic material that swamped beaches on Sri Lanka's west coast.
Data recovered as ship with chemicals sinking off Sri Lanka
BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI, Associated Press
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1of8Sri Lankan man, Kindston Jayalath fishes on a polluted beach filled with plastic pellets washed ashore from the fire-damaged container ship MV X-Press Pearl in Kapungoda, on the out skirts of Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, June 4, 2021. Authorities were trying to head off a potential environmental disaster as the Singapore flagged ship that had been carrying chemicals was sinking off of the country s main port.Eranga Jayawardena/APShow MoreShow Less
2of8Unidentified foreign investigators inspect debris washed ashore on the beach from the fire-damaged container ship MV X-Press Pearl in Kapungoda, on the out skirts of Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, June 4, 2021. Authorities were trying to head off a potential environmental disaster as the Singapore flagged ship that had been carrying chemicals was sinking off of the country s main port.Eranga Jayawa
Sri Lanka is bracing for an oil spill and what can be a major environmental disaster off Colombo coast as burnt-out container ship MV X-Press Pearl remains partially sunk. Foreign experts have been deployed to help Sri Lanka contain a potential oil leak. An Indian coastguard vessel is also in the area with equipment to deal with a possible oil slick.
What is the ship's condition now?
The ship's stern is now on the sea bed and the bow is slowly sinking.