Foreign disaster management officers board burnt vessel for first time

By Ifham Nizam

Three Disaster Management Officers who were sent by the owners of the Singapore-flagged stricken container ship X-Press Pearl yesterday boarded the vessel for the first time to inspect it after fire was brought under control near the Colombo harbour.

“They have to share their observations with the National Aquatic Resources Agency (NARA), Central Environmental Authority (CEA), Marine Environment Pollution Authority (MEPA) and International Maritime Organisation, etc.,” a senior official said.

All tugs belonging to Sri Lanka Shipping Containers had now been  removed, an official said.  

Meanwhile, a team including officials from the Maritime Safety Authority had visited the ‘Explosive Pearl’ yesterday, a senior official said.

Sri Lanka Navy yesterday said it had deployed nine divers to investigate a suspected water leak in the stern area of the container ship.

Navy Spokesperson Captain Indika de Silva told journalists that the fire onboard the ship had been doused.

However, he noted the engine rooms in the stern were flooded and thus a tilt to the rear was observed.

Fire on the ship had been brought under control and a report on the ship is to be received from the officers who boarded the ship, said the Marine Environment Protection Authority official.

The CID yesterday completed the initial inquiries and the recording of statements regarding the complaint filed over the fire on the container ship ‘X-Press Pearl’.

On Monday, CID recorded statements from the Captain, the Chief Engineer, and the Deputy Chief Engineer of the ship, at a hotel in Wellawatte.

The Island

learns that the Captain of the vessel was interrogated for nearly 14 hours while the Chief Engineer and the Deputy Chief Engineer were grilled for 13 and 12 hours.

The CID has recorded statements from seven members of the ship by yesterday and the process is continuing with the serious nature of the damage caused to the marine environment.

The collated facts regarding the incident will be promptly presented to the court, according Police Spokesman, DIG, Attorney-at-Law, Ajith Rohana.

The Sri Lanka Navy also said that no fire or oil spill had been observed from the stricken vessel so far.

However, as smoke was observed from the middle of the ship, cooling procedures were in progress.

With the public rejecting fish consumption due to the ‘X-Press Pearl’ spilling  its toxic cargo, fishermen of Negombo cooked and consumed the fish they brought ashore yesterday in a bid to restore public confidence.