After seven days of battling with the fire, firefighting managed to contain the fire aboard the VLCC New Diamond. There could be some small fire pockets, but India and Sri Lank say that the fire is basically extinguished.
According to sources, there are no signs of fire or smoke, while the salvage company will go on board to carry out a survey of the damage.
What is more, further efforts to move the New Diamond further away from Sri Lanka into international waters, are now taking place.
Nevertheless, during the operations, Sri Lanka noted that a second oil slick was noticed. The spill is believed to come from the ship’s diesel fuel tanks and is a small leak.
Furthermore, Sri Lanka’s Marine Environment Protection Authority is now planning to take legal action against the tanker’s owner or manager. In fact, according to Reuters, the Deputy General Manager of MEPA is exploring criminal and civil claims.
The firefighting vessels expect to remain near the tanker to monitor the situation.
