Cyclone Yaas-linked strong winds increase struggle to put out fire on Ship with chemicals

On May 26, Sri Lankan authorities struggled to put out a fire that has been raging for over seven days on a stricken container ship that is loaded with chemicals, due to strong winds linked to Cyclone Yaas. With the risk of potential environmental disaster, the Singapore-registered vessel within the sight of the shore, carrying at least 25 tonnes of nitric acid and other unspecified chemicals and cosmetics, caught fire on May 20 when it was anchored about 9.5 nautical miles northwest of Colombo and waiting to enter its port. As per reports, eight of MV X-Press Pearl's 1,500 containers fell overboard on May 25 with one of them washing ashore at the Negombo tourist beach.

However, the strong winds linked with the Cyclone Yaas hitting eastern India posed additional challenges for the Sri Lankan authorities to put of the blaze and a huge cloud of black smoke was reportedly seen above the ship. Sri Lanka’s airforce has dedicated helicopters to deliver nearly 25 kilograms (935 pounds) of fire-retardant chemicals on the ship Wednesday. Meanwhile, Dharshani Lahandapura from the Marine Environment Protection Authority told the reporters in Colombo that containment measures were being put into place considering the potential incident involving the spilling of chemicals of fuel oil.

"Computer modelling showed any spill from the ship will reach the Negombo beach and we are ready to tackle it," Lahandapura told reporters in Colombo. “Given the monsoon wind pattern, we are concentrating on this area and we are moving equipment to deal with a spill.”

European firefighters help Sri Lanka

As per the Associated Press, European firefighters and salvage experts have also joined efforts of the Sri Lankan crews battling a seven-day fire onboard a container ship. Reportedly, the blazes have spread to the quarterdeck where the ship’s bridge is located, and a large number of containers have tumbled into the sea. All 25 crew members have evacuated the ship as of May 25 following an explosion with two of them suffering from leg injuries. The company informed that the two injured crew members are in hospital while the remaining 23 are in a quarantine facility in Colombo.

IMAGE: AP