Mauritius is an island nation far off Africa’s east coast. It has mountains, rainforests, waterfalls, and beaches. The country is home to more than 1 million people and many types of wildlife. Now, it’s facing one of its most serious challenges ever. A shipwreck is leaking oil into the nation’s waters.
A Japanese company owns the ship. The vessel — called the Wakashio — was passing by the islands in the Indian Ocean. On July 25, it ran aground on a reef near Pointe d’Esny, Mauritius. It was stuck. The crew was rescued though. And at the time, officials said there were no signs of an oil leak.
That changed last week. Rough waters made it hard for teams to remove the ship. Cracks started to appear in the hull. Photos show oil spilling into the water. Experts believe the ship had more than 4,000 tons of the fuel on board.
This is terrible news for Mauritius. Oil spills are very harmful to the environment. The fuel pollutes water and washes up on beaches. It can make it hard for fish to breathe, and it can cover the feathers of birds. Many animals end up eating the oil, which can be deadly. This can also be dangerous for people who rely on the animals for food. And oily beaches and lagoons could hurt the nation’s travel business.
People are working to clean up the oil in Mauritius. They are using a type of floating barrier called a boom. This tool is meant to stop the oil from spreading. Mauritius is using more than 400 booms. Volunteers are cleaning the water and beaches. Wildlife experts are moving some animals and plants. And the government declared a state of emergency.
Other nations are sending help. Those include France. It controls the nearby island of Réunion. “When biodiversity is in peril, there is urgency to act,” said French President Emmanuel Macron. Japan sent people as well. Akihiko Ono is a leader at the company that operates the ship. He apologized for “the great trouble we have caused” and promised to do everything possible to help.
Mauritius’ leaders say they’ve never faced a challenge like this. They added that they weren’t prepared for a disaster of this size. People aren’t giving up though. Groups are coming together to clean up. They’ll keep working to save the waters and wildlife.
Updated August 10, 2020, 5:02 P.M. (ET)
By Ashley Morgan
