Johannesburg, South Africa, 7 August, 2020. Greenpeace Africa responds to reports about the MV Wakashio bulk carrier leaking tonnes of diesel and bunker fuel into the Indian Ocean.
Happy Khambule, Greenpeace Africa Senior Climate and Energy Campaign Manager, said: “The Japanese bulk carrier, MV Wakashio ran aground around July 25 and is now leaking tonnes of diesel and oil into the ocean. Thousands of species around the pristine lagoons of Blue Bay, Pointe d’Esny and Mahebourg are at risk of drowning in a sea of pollution, with dire consequences for Mauritius’ economy, food security and health. Greenpeace Africa stands with affected Mauritian coastal communities and calls on the UN and all governments to support Mauritius’ cleaning efforts.”
Recent months have seen a surge in oil catastrophes in Russia and Yemen. The current oil spill on the reef near Pointe d’Esny on the south east coast of the Mauritian island is likely one of the most terrible ecological crises ever seen on the small island country. According to reports that Greenpeace Africa had received, on the 5th of August residents from Pointe d’Esny were already warning that the ship was sinking.
“There is no guaranteed safe way to extract, transport and store fossil fuel products. This oil leak is not a twist of fate, but the choice of our twisted addiction to fossil fuels. We must react by accelerating our withdrawal from fossil fuels,” added Khambule. “Once again we see the risks in oil: aggravating the climate crisis, as well as devastating oceans and biodiversity and threatening local livelihoods around some of Africa’s most precious lagoons,” Khambule concluded.
Contact: Tal Harris, international communications coordinator, +221-774643195 (WhatsApp), [email protected]
Discussion
Thank you for issuing this article on the ecological tragedy unfolding in Mauritius.
Give a link for places to donate to please!
Hi Natalie, you can use this link to donate https://africadonate.greenpeace.org/
Rescue clear up team. Can’t you request the Japanese government to provide straw or hay bails that can be unrolled, laid on top of the black oil. It will absorb it. Then it can be bagged. Lifted away and burnt as fuel at a power station. Could Australia or neighbouring countries provide this ? Just a thought
Let us be kind in our thought and words.Most countries are assisting with this issue.
What can Australians do to pressure the Japanese Government to clean up the mess of their Companies ship in Mauritius? Greenpeace should be mobilising to take action in this catastrophe. One statement on 7 August is not enough.
This is an ongoing issue that need everyone's support.
''We must react by accelerating our withdrawal from fossil fuels,” And what should we depend on? You make it sound like Oil is just an option just like orange juice might be an option to apple juice. Oil and gas cannot be substituted as easily as you make it sound! Oil is not the real problem here, shipping practices are! Maybe this could be of some help too so we don't fall into climate alarmism: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jul/04/the-environmentalists-apology-how-michael-shellenberger-unsettled-some-of-his-prominent-supporters
Oil (petroleum) s a non-renewable resource containing polyaromatic hydrocarbons and other compounds you should be concerned about. Yes, we must reduce our dependence on petroleum. It will not be around forever, we cannot reproduce it, and it makes us and the environment sick. You are a denier.
Fossil fuels are harmful for the environment, greener alternatives should be implemented.
There are many green alternatives we can switch to, we regularly share them on all our platforms.
All because greed of mankind is Destroy the world..it is written in words...