A cargo ship MV Express Pearl which was heading from Gujarat to Colombo, Sri Lanka caught fire six days ago, on Thursday, May 20. The ship was bound for Colombo from the Indian port of Hazira. The ship contained 1486 containers and about 25 tons of hazardous nitric acid and other chemicals.
The accident happened near the port of Colombo on Tuesday when a container caught fire and a large-scale fire broke out. At the time of the accident, 25 crew members from different countries were already on board.
The fire that broke out on the MV X-Press Pearl was subsequently brought under the control of Sri Lankan port authorities.
The ship was engulfed in flames and thick smoke, pertaining to aerial photos released by Sri Lanka’s air force. The blaze was exacerbated by strong winds, according to Silva.
At the request of Sri Lanka, the defense ministry said, the Indian Coast Guard has deployed two patrol vessels, ICGS Vaibhav and Vajra for assistance. These ships have been dispatched to enhance fire and pollution control efforts.
Coast Guard officials also added the diamonds were sent after talks with Sri Lankan officials to endure any dangers.
In addition to these, Indian Coast Guard ships at Kochi, Chennai, and Tuticorin were kept ready for immediate assistance. The ICG is in constant consultation with the Sri Lankan authorities for this operation.
It appears that chemicals were being transported on the Singapore-flagged ship that started the fire.
According to the report, the ship was carrying 1,486 containers, including 25 tonnes of nitric acid and other chemicals, which were loaded on May 15 at the port of Hazira, India.
Filipino, Chinese, Indian, and Russian nationals make up the vessel’s 25-member crew.
After the explosion, crew members, salvage, and firefighting experts, according to a Navy spokesman, Indika de Silva, evacuated the ship. Experts from the Netherlands and Belgium are surveying the ship.
Indika de Silva also said that several containers had tipped over into the sea.
According to Silva, five tugboats were involved in firefighting efforts, and a navy ship was anchored nearby to assist them.
Aside from the possibility of a chemical spill, there’s also the possibility of a 100-ton oil spill. Dolphin sightings are common in the area north of where the ship caught fire, and any oil spill could endanger marine life in the area.
Sri Lanka is preparing for a tier II oil spill, according to Chairperson Dharshani Lahandapura of the Marine Environment Protection Authority.
A tier II oil spill is one that requires response teams with specialized knowledge to intervene. Although the ship is carrying approximately 300 tonnes of bunker fuel, some of it has already been removed.
Fishermen have also been warned not to approach the vessel after the explosions on Tuesday, as some containers carrying dangerous chemicals have fallen into the sea.
Kanchana Wijesekera, the State Minister of Fisheries, urged them to notify authorities if they see any containers.
