Workers clad in protective gear clean up an oily substance that washed up ashore on the Sarakkuwa – Pamunugama Beach, in the vicinity of the MV X-Press Pearl wreck site, yesterday (28). Part of the wreck was salvaged and removed early this year (2023), with the other part being salvaged at present, the latter causing concerns about another oil leak from the wreck. According to locals, a large patch of oil was seen during the early hours, washed ashore, bringing with it a number of dead jellyfish and other marine life. The Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) told The Daily Morning that they were cleaning the beach of the substance and had sent several samples for testing to clarify what the substance was. Earlier in the week, the MEPA had deployed staff to clear patches of plastic nurdles which had washed ashore. The Singaporean flagged vessel caught fire and sank at the Colombo anchorage in May, 2020, causing what experts have called the worst marine pollution disaster in Sri Lankan history. Litigation regarding the incident is ongoing with many delays and controversies.
PHOTO Lalith Perera