Fireboats extinguish fire of an oil tanker in the seas off Sri Lanka's eastern coast, on Sept. 6, 2020. Sri Lankan Navy Spokesperson Captain Indika de Silva told Xinhua on Sunday that the oil tanker was now being held 40 nautical miles away from the eastern coast and the fire was contained. The distressed oil tanker MT New Diamond caught fire in the seas off Sri Lanka's eastern coast on Thursday. (Sri Lanka Air Force Media/Handout via Xinhua)
COLOMBO, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- A 10-member expert committee from Netherlands and Britain arrived in Sri Lanka on Sunday to assist the MT New Diamond oil tanker which caught fire in the seas off Sri Lanka's eastern coast on Thursday, the navy said.
Navy Spokesperson Captain Indika de Silva told Xinhua that the expert committee had landed at the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport in the south and would be transported to the oil tanker which was now being held 40 nautical miles away from the eastern coast.
Captain de Silva said that while the fire had not been completely doused, it was contained and till Sunday morning, there was no threat of an oil spill.
The oil tanker is carrying 270,000 metric tons of crude oil and was heading to the Paradip Port in India from Kuwait when a fire broke out in its engine room, threatening to cause a massive oil spill in the Indian Ocean.
Environmentalists have warned that if an oil spill occurs, it may lead to the catastrophic destruction of marine life and Sri Lanka's eastern coast and may even be the world's largest marine disaster.
Captain de Silva said that presently, 15 ships including from India and Sri Lanka Navy were involved in efforts to douse the fire. This included five tug boats including those dispatched from the Hambantota Port.
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, in a statement on his official Twitter, expressed his gratitude to the Sri Lanka Navy, Sri Lanka Air Force, Sri Lanka Ports Authority, and the Indian Defence Forces for their joint effort in curbing the fire.
The president appreciated their contribution in conserving oceanic biodiversity by preventing a disastrous situation out in the ocean.
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, in a statement, also thanked the navy, airforce, Sri Lanka Ports Authority, and the Indian naval force and all others involved for taking swift action to manage the fire. "Timely action has ensured the safety of the crew and contained the potential damage of marine life," the prime minister said.
One Filipino crew member has been presumed dead while another who sustained serious injuries is being treated in a hospital in Sri Lanka's east.
The remaining 21 crew members who were rescued by Friday remain with the Sri Lanka Navy. Enditem
