Sri Lankan authorities were trying to put out a massive fire aboard a container ship off Colombo on Tuesday to avoid a chemical and oil spill.
Firefighters were struggling to bring the flames on the X-Press Pearl under control after the blaze intensified following large explosions earlier in the day, said the Sri Lanka Ports Authority. The fire was first reported by the crew last week. They have been taken to safety.
“We are trying our best to extinguish the fire as it broke out again due to the continuous reaction of the chemical materials in the containers and adverse weather,” Rohitha Abeygunawardena, minister of ports and shipping, said in a statement.
“We have made plans to carry out future activities in a manner that does not harm the country’s seas and marine environment.”
X-Press Pearl was carrying 1,486 containers with 25 tonnes of nitric acid, other chemicals and cosmetics on board, according to a statement released by Sri Lanka Navy. X-Press Feeders, which owns the ship, said specialised fire-fighting equipment had been brought in from Europe to reinforce salvage operations.
The authorities have also warned fishermen not to approach the vessel as some containers carrying dangerous chemicals have fallen into the sea.
State Minister of Fisheries Kanchana Wijesekera urged them to inform authorities if they spot any containers.
Apart from a potential chemical spill there is a risk of an oil spill of about 100 tonnes. The area north of where the ship caught fire is known for dolphin sightings, and any spill could threaten marine life in the region.
Sri Lanka is preparing for a tier II oil spill, said Dharshani Lahandapura of the Marine Environment Protection Authority. This indicates an accident that needs response teams with specialised knowledge to intervene.
The vessel is carrying about 300 tonnes of bunker fuel, but some oil has already been removed.
"We are fighting the fire but we are preparing for the worst. Dispersal chemicals and booms available in Sri Lanka had been made ready," Ms Lahandapura said by phone. "It can escalate into a Tier III spill. But for now the estimate is about 100 tonnes."
X-Press Feeders operates a fleet of vessels. The X-Press Pearl was deployed in the company's Straits Middle East shipping route and caught fire at Colombo anchorage.
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THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
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THE BIO
Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.
Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.
Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.
Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
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