The Ship Had Been Burning for Weeks
The crisis started May 21, when the Singaporean-owned X-Press Pearl, which had loaded its cargo up in India and was anchored around 9.5 miles (18 kilometers) off the coast of the capital of Colombo, caught fire. Of the 25 crew aboard, two were taken to the hospital with injuries. Authorities are investigating the cause, but have said they believe it was due to a chemical reaction from a nitric acid leak. Authorities say they have opened a criminal investigation into how the fire started.
But on Wednesday, things took an even more alarming turn when the ship sank while being towed out to sea. Shocking aerial footage showed the smoldering wreck plunging into sparkling azure waters. Sri Lanka’s Marine Environment Protection Authority said it was likely due to a leak that sprung on the back of the boat. Regardless of the cause, it now raises the risk of even more toxic chemicals and oil being spilled into the ocean.
