Diventures Magazine | English Edition August 2020 | Page 8

7
SCUBA NEWS
Environmental Disaster in Mauritius
As if this planet is destined to not recover from the human
influence on it, after COVID19 lockdown and its positive impact on
the environment, fuel leaked in Siberia in Russia, and not a while
later, another oil leak occurred in Mauritius.
Mauritius government officials said today, Saturday, that the
Japanese ship that spilled tons of oil near the protected areas off
the island in the Indian Ocean split in half, causing the remaining
fuel to leak into the clear waters.
Environmental groups have warned that the damage to coral reefs
and coastal areas may never be compensated.
The ship "MV Wakachio" collided with coral reefs on July 25, and its
hull began to crack days after heavy waves collided with it, as 1000
tons of fuel began to leak from the tanker on the sixth of August.
After the government declared an environmental emergency,
thousands of volunteers rushed to the beach to set up makeshift
barriers of cloth stuffed with sugar cane leaves and even human
hair, attached to empty bottles to keep them afloat.
The country of 1.3 million people relies heavily on tourism and has
been hit by economic problems due to travel restrictions imposed
during the coronavirus pandemic.
Diventures Magazine August 2020