A Chinese-flagged fishing vessel, carrying 16 crew members and 130 tonnes of oil onboard, has run aground off Mauritius, causing a minor oil spill.
According to South China Morning Post, the fishing trawler “Lurong Yuan Yu” run aground on 7 March 2021, off Pointe-aux-Sables, not far from the Mauritian capital, Port Louis.
Following the ship’s sinking, all 16 crew members, including 14 Chinese nationals, were evacuated by helicopter.
For the record, the ship reportedly contains about 130 tonnes of oil, while a Mauritian official said that pumping fuel from the trawler was the top priority.
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Floating lines meant to contain spills have been deployed 300 metres (1,000ft) from the coast, but some local people reported already seeing traces of oil on shore.
In light of the above, Ministry of Fisheries launched a preliminary investigation into the circumstances in which the trawler Lu Rong Yuan Yu 588 ran aground on the reefs at Pointe-aux-Sables.
To remind, the incident followed July’s accident of the MV Wakashio, when bulk carrier that struck a coral reef off Mauritius and began spilling oil, prompting the government to announce a state of environmental emergency.
