The prime minister of Mauritius said Tuesday two sailors were dead and two others missing after a tugboat assisting in a major oil spill clean-up off the Indian Ocean island collided with a barge.

A search was under way for the missing crew after the accident late Monday as the boats returned from where a tanker crashed into a reef in late July, leaking more than 1,000 tonnes of oil into the island's picturesque waters.

"It is tragic that we lost two of the tugboat crew, while two others are still missing," Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth said after visiting rescued sailors in hospital.

"We are doing everything we can to locate them, with all our means and with the help of fishermen in the area. On behalf of the government, I extend my sympathies to the family."

The spill was declared an ecological disaster for the Indian Ocean archipelago, and a massive clean-up operation was launched to scrub the pristine coastline and azure seas of thick sludge.

The collision between the tugboat and an unmanned barge which it was towing occurred off the northeast coast as the boats were returning from the spill site where the MV Wakashio ran aground, the barge operator Taylor Smith Group said.

The eight crew aboard the stricken tug abandoned ship, the Mauritius Ports Authority said, adding there were rough seas at the time.

Four were later rescued and taken to shore, officials said.

- 'No risk of a leak' -

Jugnauth said the tug was transporting some fuel at the time "but there is no risk of a leak". The prime minister promised an investigation into the accident.

He faces growing anger over his administration's handling of the oil spill, which has caused untold ecological damage to a protected coastline that sustains the island's economy.

An estimated 75,000 people marched at the weekend in the capital Port Louis, many dressed in black and demanding answers from the government in the biggest public demonstration in 40 years.

The washing ashore of some 47 dead melon-headed whales in recent days only spurred further outrage, with environmental groups blaming the oil spill for their mysterious deaths.

Authorities have said no traces of hydrocarbons were found on the animals or in their respiratory system, however the results from autopsies have yet to be released.

It is still unclear why the Wakashio was so close to shore when the accident occurred. Jugnauth has commissioned a formal investigation and promised a full and transparent inquiry.

Critics say the government was too slow to act when the Japanese-owned ship carrying 4,000 tonnes of fuel aboard ran aground off Pointe d'Esny, an ecological jewel fringed by idyllic beaches, colourful reefs and protected wetlands.

Mauritius and its 1.3 million inhabitants depend crucially on the sea for food and ecotourism.

The bulker later split in two and was towed to open waters and sunk, in a move criticised by some marine conservation groups.

Landmark protest in Mauritius over giant oil spill
Port Louis, Mauritius (AFP) Sept 1, 2020 - Tens of thousands of Mauritians protested Saturday in the capital Port Louis over the government's handling of a giant oil spill off its pristine Indian Ocean coast.

The Japanese bulk carrier MV Wakashio crashed into a reef off southeastern Mauritius last month spewing more than 1,000 tonnes of oil into waters that are home to mangrove forests and endangered species.

After the boat split in two, the larger piece was towed out to sea and sunk, but the smaller section remains stranded on the reef.

The call for the march came from an ordinary citizen, Jean Bruneau Laurette, who has become a hero among many for daring to oppose Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth.

Laurette, a maritime security expert, says the government has been hiding the truth about the circumstances of the oil spill. He has filed a case against the environment ministry.

Up to 75,000 protesters thronged the square in front of the cathedral in downtown Port-Louis, an AFP reporter said, in the biggest demonstration in 40 years.

Many of them were dressed in black -- the colour of mourning. Public anger has boiled over in Mauritius after at least 34 melon-headed whales were found dead or seriously ill near the site of the spill.

Fisheries minister Sudheer Maudhoo had said there was "no trace of hydrocarbons on them or in their respiratory system".

"This rally is an occasion to send a message to tell Pravind Jugnauth he has messed up," marcher Jocelyne Leung, 35, told AFP.

"This is the first time that a citizens' demonstration has gathered such a big crowd," said Ajay Gunness, the number two of the opposition MMM party.

Many protesters carried the national flag, sang the national anthem, and called for Jugnauth to step down.

Authorities and experts from Japan and Britain are still investigating the true extent of the ecological damage to an island whose economy depends heavily on tourism.

This archipelago is a tourist haven and many of it's 1.3 population derive their livelihood from tourism or fishing.

Veteran politician Jugnauth, whose current stint in power began in 2017, has denied making any mistakes in handling the spill.

Related Links
Our Polluted World and Cleaning It Up

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Rich north owes 'ecological debt' to south: pope
Vatican City (AFP) Aug 31, 2020
Pope Francis berated rich northern countries Monday which he said "owed an ecological debt" to the south for exploiting their natural resources. In a short video address, the head of the Catholic Church warned that the planet's resources were being exploited "as if it was an orange." "Let us pray that the planet's resources are not plundered, but shared in an equitable and respectful manner," the pope said on his Global Prayer Network. Ecological debts were being incurred "when multinational ... read more