Disastro ambientale in Sri Lanka: nave in fiamme, pesci e tartarughe avvelenati dall'acido nitrico. FOTO

Il rogo è stato domato dopo 13 giorni, ma in mare sono state riversate tonnellate di microplastiche e carburante. L'imbarcazione è andata a picco, a bordo c'erano 28 container di materiali per la produzione di plastica, 25 tonnellate di acido nitrico e idrossido di sodio, oltre ad altre sostanze chimiche. Il Paese ha chiesto aiuto all'India per la protezione delle sue coste rispetto al rischio di una potenziale marea nera

epa09242444 Smoke rises from the fire gutted and crippled container cargo vessel MV X-Press Pearl in Sri Lanka, 02 June 2021. The fire on the Singaporean flagged container cargo vessel MV X-Press Pearl, which had been burning for over 13 days, was doused and the salvage company began towing it towards deeper seas off the coast of Colombo on 02 June. However, latest reports by the Sri Lanka Navy stated that the towing operation had been halted as the stern of the ship was striking the seabed. They also reported that so far no oil spills have been observed. A huge amount of plastic granules and debris has already washed ashore on beaches from Colombo to Negombo and authorities now fear another wave of massive pollution should the 278 tonnes of bunker oil and 50 tonnes of gas in the Singapore-registered ship's fuel tanks leak into the Indian Ocean. EPA/CHAMILA KARUNARATHNE

1/10 ©Ansa

Il 1° giugno, dopo 13 giorni, è stato domato l'incendio su una nave cargo al largo delle coste dello Sri Lanka. Il rogo ha causato una catastrofe ambientale, a causa di tonnellate di granuli di microplastiche fuoriuscite dall'imbarcazione e finite in mare e sulle spiagge della zona. La nave è successivamente affondata

Sri Lanka, affondata la nave cargo

epa09243154 A handout photo made available by the Sri Lankan Air force Media shows the fire gutted and crippled Singapore-registered container cargo vessel, MV X-Press Pearl, on the 9 nautical miles northwest of Colombo port in Colombo, Sri Lanka, 02 June 2021. The fire on the Singaporean flagged container cargo vessel MV X-Press Pearl, which had been burning for over 13 days, was doused and the salvage company began towing it towards deeper seas off the coast of Colombo on 02 June. However, latest reports by the Sri Lanka Navy stated that the towing operation had been halted as the stern of the ship was striking the seabed. They also reported that so far no oil spills have been observed. A huge amount of plastic granules and debris has already washed ashore on beaches from Colombo to Negombo and authorities now fear another wave of massive pollution should the 278 tonnes of bunker oil and 50 tonnes of gas in the Singapore-registered ship's fuel tanks leak into the Indian Ocean. EPA/SRI LANKAN AIR FORCE MEDIA HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

2/10 ©Ansa

La nave X-Press Pearl era in fiamme dal 20 maggio. A bordo c'erano anche 278 tonnellate di carburante e 50 di gasolio. Lo Sri Lanka ha chiesto l'aiuto dell'India per la protezione delle sue coste rispetto alla potenziale marea nera frutto del naufragio dell'imbarcazione

Sri Lanka, spiagge invase da microplastiche

epa09244355 Sri Lanka Navy personnel, wearing protective gear, clear the beach from debris and other materials that washed ashore from the crippled container cargo vessel MV X-Press Pearl, on the beach of Negombo, north-west of Colombo, Sri Lanka, 02 June 2021 (issued 03 June 2021). The fire on the Singaporean flagged container cargo vessel MV X-Press Pearl was doused and the salvage company began towing it towards deeper seas off the coast of Colombo on 02 June. However, the Sri Lanka Navy stated that the towing operation was halted as the stern of the ship was striking the seabed. Sri Lankan marine and coastal protection authorities warned about an environmental crisis as tonnes of plastic waste and pellets from the ship keep washing ashore. The island s Fisheries Ministry urged fishermen not to venture out to seas in the 80 km stretch along the western coast. Authorities such as the Marine Environmental Protection Authority (MEPA) are concerned over possible threats to the fish-breeding shallow waters of lagoons dotting the area, which is well known for its crabs and jumbo prawns as well as for its tourist beaches. MEPA is assessing the possible impacts on the mangroves, lagoons and marine wildlife in the region, while a possible oil leak would add to the devastation. EPA/CHAMILA KARUNARATHNE

3/10 ©Ansa

Nonostante l'intervento dei sommozzatori che hanno verificato le fratture nello scafo e valutato i pericoli di affondamento, la nave si è inabissata con il suo carico altamente pericoloso

Sri Lanka, affondata la nave dei veleni. VIDEO

epa09243157 A handout photo made available by the Sri Lankan Air force Media shows the fire gutted and crippled Singapore-registered container cargo vessel, MV X-Press Pearl, on the 9 nautical miles northwest of Colombo port in Colombo, Sri Lanka, 02 June 2021. The fire on the Singaporean flagged container cargo vessel MV X-Press Pearl, which had been burning for over 13 days, was doused and the salvage company began towing it towards deeper seas off the coast of Colombo on 02 June. However, latest reports by the Sri Lanka Navy stated that the towing operation had been halted as the stern of the ship was striking the seabed. They also reported that so far no oil spills have been observed. A huge amount of plastic granules and debris has already washed ashore on beaches from Colombo to Negombo and authorities now fear another wave of massive pollution should the 278 tonnes of bunker oil and 50 tonnes of gas in the Singapore-registered ship's fuel tanks leak into the Indian Ocean. EPA/SRI LANKAN AIR FORCE MEDIA HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

4/10 ©Ansa

"Abbiamo chiesto l'aiuto dell'India", ha detto alla Afp un responsabile coinvolto nelle operazioni per tentare di contenere al massimo la catastrofe ecologica già in corso e che potrebbe essere aggravata da una marea nera

epa09243155 A handout photo made available by the Sri Lankan Air force Media shows the fire gutted and crippled Singapore-registered container cargo vessel, MV X-Press Pearl, on the 9 nautical miles northwest of Colombo port in Colombo, Sri Lanka, 02 June 2021. The fire on the Singaporean flagged container cargo vessel MV X-Press Pearl, which had been burning for over 13 days, was doused and the salvage company began towing it towards deeper seas off the coast of Colombo on 02 June. However, latest reports by the Sri Lanka Navy stated that the towing operation had been halted as the stern of the ship was striking the seabed. They also reported that so far no oil spills have been observed. A huge amount of plastic granules and debris has already washed ashore on beaches from Colombo to Negombo and authorities now fear another wave of massive pollution should the 278 tonnes of bunker oil and 50 tonnes of gas in the Singapore-registered ship's fuel tanks leak into the Indian Ocean. EPA/SRI LANKAN AIR FORCE MEDIA HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

5/10 ©Ansa

Il 2 giugno la Marina dello Sri Lanka aveva fatto sapere che la nave portacontainer Mv X-Press Pearl, danneggiata da un incendio al largo di Colombo, rischiava di affondare mentre stava per essere rimorchiata. Nonostante l'allarme l'imbarcazione è poi naufragata

epa09243156 A handout photo made available by the Sri Lankan Air force Media shows the fire gutted and crippled Singapore-registered container cargo vessel, MV X-Press Pearl, on the 9 nautical miles northwest of Colombo port in Colombo, Sri Lanka, 02 June 2021. The fire on the Singaporean flagged container cargo vessel MV X-Press Pearl, which had been burning for over 13 days, was doused and the salvage company began towing it towards deeper seas off the coast of Colombo on 02 June. However, latest reports by the Sri Lanka Navy stated that the towing operation had been halted as the stern of the ship was striking the seabed. They also reported that so far no oil spills have been observed. A huge amount of plastic granules and debris has already washed ashore on beaches from Colombo to Negombo and authorities now fear another wave of massive pollution should the 278 tonnes of bunker oil and 50 tonnes of gas in the Singapore-registered ship's fuel tanks leak into the Indian Ocean. EPA/SRI LANKAN AIR FORCE MEDIA HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

6/10 ©Ansa

Lo spegnimento delle fiamme è riuscito, dopo 13 giorni, grazie a un'operazione internazionale. Ma intanto in acqua sono state riversate tonnellate di microplastiche che minacciano la fauna del posto

epa09244350 Sri Lanka Navy personnel, wearing protective gear, clear the beach from debris and other materials that washed ashore from the crippled container cargo vessel MV X-Press Pearl, on the beach of Negombo, north-west of Colombo, Sri Lanka, 02 June 2021 (issued 03 June 2021). The fire on the Singaporean flagged container cargo vessel MV X-Press Pearl was doused and the salvage company began towing it towards deeper seas off the coast of Colombo on 02 June. However, the Sri Lanka Navy stated that the towing operation was halted as the stern of the ship was striking the seabed. Sri Lankan marine and coastal protection authorities warned about an environmental crisis as tonnes of plastic waste and pellets from the ship keep washing ashore. The island s Fisheries Ministry urged fishermen not to venture out to seas in the 80 km stretch along the western coast. Authorities such as the Marine Environmental Protection Authority (MEPA) are concerned over possible threats to the fish-breeding shallow waters of lagoons dotting the area, which is well known for its crabs and jumbo prawns as well as for its tourist beaches. MEPA is assessing the possible impacts on the mangroves, lagoons and marine wildlife in the region, while a possible oil leak would add to the devastation. EPA/CHAMILA KARUNARATHNE

7/10 ©Ansa

La pesca nell’area è stata bloccata, mentre migliaia di soldati sono stati inviati sulla costa per tentare di rimuovere i granuli dalle spiagge

epa09242440 A ship from the Dutch salvage company SMIT (R) towing the fire gutted and crippled container cargo vessel MV X-Press Pearl to deeper seas off the port of Colombo, Sri Lanka, 02 June 2021. The fire on the Singaporean flagged container cargo vessel MV X-Press Pearl, which had been burning for over 13 days, was doused and the salvage company began towing it towards deeper seas off the coast of Colombo on 02 June. However, latest reports by the Sri Lanka Navy stated that the towing operation had been halted as the stern of the ship was striking the seabed. They also reported that so far no oil spills have been observed. A huge amount of plastic granules and debris has already washed ashore on beaches from Colombo to Negombo and authorities now fear another wave of massive pollution should the 278 tonnes of bunker oil and 50 tonnes of gas in the Singapore-registered ship's fuel tanks leak into the Indian Ocean. EPA/CHAMILA KARUNARATHNE

8/10 ©Ansa

La nave è immatricolata a Singapore. Oltre ai 28 contenitori di microplastiche andati distrutti, con il contenuto finito in mare, a bordo c'erano anche 25 tonnellate di acido nitrico

epa09244362 A dead sea crab (Portunus pelagicus) lies washed ashore amid granules of plastic raw materials from the burnt ship MV X-Press Pearl on the beach of Negombo, north-west of Colombo, Sri Lanka, 02 June 2021 (issued 03 June 2021). The fire on the Singaporean flagged container cargo vessel MV X-Press Pearl was doused and the salvage company began towing it towards deeper seas off the coast of Colombo on 02 June. However, the Sri Lanka Navy stated that the towing operation was halted as the stern of the ship was striking the seabed. Sri Lankan marine and coastal protection authorities warned about an environmental crisis as tonnes of plastic waste and pellets from the ship keep washing ashore. The island s Fisheries Ministry urged fishermen not to venture out to seas in the 80 km stretch along the western coast. Authorities such as the Marine Environmental Protection Authority (MEPA) are concerned over possible threats to the fish-breeding shallow waters of lagoons dotting the area, which is well known for its crabs and jumbo prawns as well as for its tourist beaches. MEPA is assessing the possible impacts on the mangroves, lagoons and marine wildlife in the region, while a possible oil leak would add to the devastation. EPA/CHAMILA KARUNARATHNE

9/10 ©Ansa

Il capo della locale Autorità per la protezione dell'ambiente marino, Dharshani Lahandapura, ha detto che si tratta del maggior incidente ambientale mai visto nella regione e la polizia ha aperto un'inchiesta. Sulla spiaggia ci sono numerosi pesci, tartarughe e altre specie marine morti avvelenati

epa09244349 Sri Lanka Navy personnel, wearing protective gear, clear the beach from debris and other materials that washed ashore from the crippled container cargo vessel MV X-Press Pearl, on the beach of Negombo, north-west of Colombo, Sri Lanka, 02 June 2021 (issued 03 June 2021). The fire on the Singaporean flagged container cargo vessel MV X-Press Pearl was doused and the salvage company began towing it towards deeper seas off the coast of Colombo on 02 June. However, the Sri Lanka Navy stated that the towing operation was halted as the stern of the ship was striking the seabed. Sri Lankan marine and coastal protection authorities warned about an environmental crisis as tonnes of plastic waste and pellets from the ship keep washing ashore. The island s Fisheries Ministry urged fishermen not to venture out to seas in the 80 km stretch along the western coast. Authorities such as the Marine Environmental Protection Authority (MEPA) are concerned over possible threats to the fish-breeding shallow waters of lagoons dotting the area, which is well known for its crabs and jumbo prawns as well as for its tourist beaches. MEPA is assessing the possible impacts on the mangroves, lagoons and marine wildlife in the region, while a possible oil leak would add to the devastation. EPA/CHAMILA KARUNARATHNE

10/10 ©Ansa

L’imbarcazione era partita dal porto indiano di Hazira, in India, il 15 maggio ed era diretta a Singapore. Dal giorno dell’incendio, la MV X-Press Pearl aveva cominciato a riversare in mare tonnellate di carburante e microplastiche. Ora i danni del naufragio all’ambiente marino sono diventati incalcolabili