Authorities in Mauritius fear a damaged Japanese cargo ship carrying 4,000 metric tons of oil and diesel could break and cause an environmental disaster in the waters around the Indian Ocean island nation. Over the past week, locals used straw brooms and sugar cane leaves in an attempt to clean away the spilled oil. Mitsui Executive Vice President Akihiko Ono apologized for the spill and “the great trouble we have caused.” The spill could be disastrous for Mauritius’s economy, which depends heavily on tourism. Satellite vessel trackers show the Wakashio crossed the Indian Ocean and sailed into Mauritius’s waters two days before the grounding. Authorities are looking into whether its satellite-tracking system malfunctioned and didn’t show that it was heading toward a collision with land.

Source: Wall Street Journal August 10, 2020 16:07 UTC