Mauritius authorities arrest Indian Captain of Japanies Ship that spilled oil along its coastline

The Gazzette. Mauritius authorities arrest Indian Captain of Japanies Ship that spilled oil along its coastline. Authorities in Maur...

The Gazzette. Mauritius authorities arrest Indian Captain of Japanies Ship that spilled oil along its coastline.

Authorities in Mauritius have arrested the Indian captain of the Japanese ship that spilled 1,000 tons of oil on the Indian Ocean island’s protected coastline.

Sunil Kumar Nandeshwar

Sunil Kumar Nandeshwar, captain of the MV Wakashio and hailing from India, was charged with “endangering safe navigation” and is in custody pending a bail hearing next week, Police inspector Sivo Coothen said Tuesday.

“We are carrying out a full investigation and interviewing all the crew members,” Coothen added.

The Wakasio ran aground a coral reef on July 25 and after being pounded by heavy waves for several days the vessel cracked and started leaking oil on August 6. The damaged ship spilled more than 1,000 tons of its cargo of 4,000 tons of fuel into the turquoise waters of the Mahebourg Lagoon, one of the island’s most pristine coastal areas.

Most of the remaining 3,000 tons of fuel was pumped off the ship before it split into two but environmental groups warned that the damage to the surrounding coral reefs could be irreversible.