Police say they were authorized to board the Japanese-owned ship as part of its investigation into the oil spill that sparked an ecological disaster. Both
The operator of MV Wakashio, a Japanese bulk carrier, apologized on Sunday for a major oil leakcaused after it ran aground in
The Japanese-owned but Panamanian-flagged ship was on its way to
Some 1,000 tons of oil is estimated to have leaked from the ship and around 500 tons of oil has been recovered from the ship -- but there are still 2,500 tons remaining on the vessel.
"We apologize profusely and deeply for the great trouble we have caused,"
Ongoing investigation
Wakashio's captain, a 58-year-old Indian national, will accompany officers on the search, police officials said.
The 20 crew members who were safely evacuated when the ship became stranded are under surveillance.
Neither
Disaster relief mission
In a statement, the
"We hope that this assistance will contribute to the recovery of the environment of
French news agency AFP reported that hundreds of volunteers, many covered head-to-toe in black sludge, are stringing together miles of makeshift cordons along the coastline in a bid to hold back the oily tide.
But the oil leak has already caused unprecedented damage to the island's lagoons, marine habitats and beaches.
The island declared a state of environmental emergency on Friday.
"People have realized that they need to take things into their hands. We are here to protect our fauna and flora," Ashok Subron, an environmental activist at Mahebourg, one of the worst-affected areas, told AFP.
mvb/stb (AP, AFP, Reuters)
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