Sri Lankan authorities have reportedly arrested the captain of the ill-fated MV X-Press Pearl container ship which caught fire off Port of Colombo last month, causing major marine pollution.
The Singapore-registered MV X-Press Pearl, carrying 1,486 containers, including 25 tonnes of nitric acid along with other chemicals and cosmetics, was anchored off Sri Lanka’s west coast, when a fire erupted onboard after an explosion on May 20, which made the ship sink some days later.
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Police spokesman Ajith Rohana was quoted as saying by The Straits Times that the captain was arrested Monday in a hotel in capital Colombo, where he and other crew members were held, and will be presented before a local High Court.
Sri Lanka’s Criminal Investigations Department had earlier recorded statements from the captain and some crew members regarding the incident.
The Marine Environment Protection Authority has said that the fire on the X-Press Pearl had caused a massive environmental disaster as beaches from the south coast to the west coast had been damaged by debris washed ashore.
It has been reported that Sri Lanka is seeking an interim claim of $40m from the ship operator, in order to cover part of the cost of fighting the fire.
Last week, IMO announced it is closely monitoring the situation as it evolves, including reports of chemical pollution, debris coming ashore in the form of plastic pellets and the potential for oil pollution.
