#HTE

A Growing Oil Spill off the Coast of Mauritius (16 photos)

The MV Wakashio, a bulk carrier ship loaded with about 4,000 tons of fuel oil, ran aground off the coast of Mauritius, in the Indian Ocean, on July 25. After sitting on a reef, battered by waves for days while awaiting salvage workers, the volume of oil leaking from the vessel has increased, spilling out near a marine park and populated beaches. Mauritius has declared a “state of environmental emergency,” as the growing spill threatens nearby reefs and lagoons. The government of France has sent aircraft and technical advisers to the island nation after appeals for assistance.