Sri Lanka ship disaster: What Is Happening Now?

The Singapore-registered X-Press Pearl sunk off the coast of Sri Lanka after fighting fire for almost a fortnight. The Colombo-bound ship was sailing from Gujarat when a fire broke out on-board on May 20, 2021. The incident is now described as the biggest maritime disaster in Sri Lanka’s history. But the ecological damage caused by the incident has already begun to show. Dead fish, turtles and other sea animals are now washing up on Sri Lanka’s shores, dotted with plastic pellets. The water surrounding the site of the disaster appears discoloured in satellite images, exposing chances of a potential oil or chemical spill. The ship had 1,000 containers, several of which contained toxic chemicals such as nitric acid and sodium methoxide, according to reports. The Sri Lankan government is yet to confirm whether an oil spill has occurred. The National Aquatic Resources Agency (NARA) had begun investigating the oil patch that was appearing in satellite images of the site. The fisheries and tourism sectors have also taken a significant hit due to the disaster. Environmentalists have already warned of the long-term impact the disaster could have on marine life.