Hundreds of turtles have reportedly washed ashore after Singapore-registered MV X-Press Pearl caught fire and sank off the west coast of Sri Lanka in June. A fire had erupted on the ship, which was carrying 1,486 containers, including 25 tonnes of nitric acid along with other chemicals and cosmetics. It sank on June 2 even as salvage crew tried to tow the vessel away from the coast.
The toxins released from the ship have killed 20 dolphins, 176 turtles and four whales. It is “very obvious” that the deaths of these sea animals are connected to the ship,” said Dharshani Lahandapura, the chairperson of Sri Lanka’s Marine Environment Protection Authority. The Russian captain of the ship, Tyutkalo Vitaly, appeared in court on July 1, but has yet to be charged in a case environmental experts say is Sri Lanka’s worst man-made environmental disaster. As per reports, the Sri Lankan government has named 15 people – including the captain, Tyutkalo Vitaly – as co-accused in cases over the damage caused. Last week, authorities said they had lifted a ban on fishing in parts of the affected coast, though experts say risks to marine life from the disaster remain.
