Oil tanker that ran aground off Mauritius and threatened an environmental catastrophe BREAKS IN HALF with 166 tons of oil still aboard despite huge clean up effort

Japanese ship MK Wakashio hit a reef off the coast of Mauritius on July 25 with 4,000 tonnes of fuel onboard
Some 1,180 tonnes of fuel has leaked into the sea and about 1,800 tonnes of fuel remained onboard the ship
The oil slick has spread 7.1 miles from Blue Bay Marine Park on the east coast to the island of Ile aux Cerfs
Today salvage crews were able to successfully pump all the fuel from the tanks of the giant cargo ship

By RYAN FAHEY FOR MAILONLINE 15 August 2020

Pictures of the boat which ran aground off Mauritius in late July show the cargo ship completely torn in two parts, days after Japanese rescue teams managed to pump the remaining oil off the vehicle to prevent another massive oil spill into the pristine waters.

Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth confirmed Tuesday that all the fuel had been pumped from the reservoirs of the Japanese-owned MW Wakashio and added that about 100 tonnes remained elsewhere on board the vessel.

In pictures issued today, the hull of the boat can be seen completely split in two. It's unsure what date the images were taken.

The Mauritian government has been criticised for doing too little in the week after the ship crashed into the reef. According to SBSNews, the owner of the ship - the Japanese Nagashiki shipping company - took three weeks to attend the scene.

In response to the company's delayed arrival, Greenpeace wrote: 'Many unanswered questions remain. Why was your vessel sailing so dangerously close to the reef? Why have you done so little since the ship ran aground? What will you do to reduce the damage to the environment, and the pain and suffering of those whose livelihoods depend on it?'

The government made a statement last night saying that they were seeking compensation from the ship's owner for clean-up costs, losses and damages, and for anyone whose livelihood was affected by the spill.

It stressed, however, the Mauritian government will not be accepting responsibility.

The ship's owner pledged to respond to requests for compensation over damage to the marine life around Mauritius.

It comes after more than 1,000 tonnes of fuel leaked into the waters from the MV Wakashio after it hit a coral reef off the island on July 25 with 4,000 tonnes of fuel.

The ship, which has already leaked some 1,180 tonnes of fuel into the sea, began leaking oil into coral reefs, mangrove forests and protected wetlands last week in a massive blow for the paradisiacal island popular among honeymooners and other tourists.

On Wednesday, PM Pravind Jugnauth announced that all the fuel had been pumped from the reservoirs of the ship. However, there were still around 160 tonnes of oil elsewhere on the boat, which began to leak again on Friday, turning the sea around the craft black once more.

However today Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth said: 'All the fuel has been pumped from the reservoirs.'

He added: 'It was a race against the clock, and I salute the excellent work to prevent another oil spill.

Clean up continues of devastating oil spill on Mauritius coast

In pictures issued today, the hull of the MW Wakashio boat can be seen completely split in two. It's unsure what date the images were taken

A devastating oil slick from Japanese ship the MV Wakashio that ran aground on a reef off Mauritius two weeks ago has spread 7.1 miles (11.5 kilometres) from Blue Bay Marine Park to the tourist island of Ile aux Cerfs on the east coast of the island

More than 1,000 tonnes of fuel has leaked into the pristine waters of the island from the MV Wakashio, with fears more could spill as the ship begins to split in half, spilling a further 1,800 left in the ship