COLOMBO: The Sri Lanka Navy on Thursday said that it had been extinguishing the flames on board that the X-Press Pearl boat which caught fire close to the Colombo Port on May 20.
Navy Spokesman Captain Indika De Silva told Xinhua that clubs continued to be on scene to douse the fires and the fire was restricted to the rear of the boat.
But he said efforts were hampered by heavy winds and inclement weather conditions.
The help from India was set up on Tuesday, De Silva stated.
There was a danger of this boat sinking on place, and all attempts were underway to avoid this, according to the spokesperson.
There was no indication of petroleum spill as nevertheless, the navy said.
The boat had slightly tipped into the best at Thursday afternoon.
The Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) has warned of a significant environmental catastrophe and has been running investigations to evaluate the effects of the burning boat.
The MEPA on Thursday said it had lodged a complaint about the Colombo Harbor Police to take legal actions against the captain of this fire-engulfed boat and its parent firm within the ecological harm it had caused.
Visuals published by local press revealed that beaches stretching from Colombo to Negombo in the west shore, was polluted from debris out of the burning boat and the authorities had warned people not to touch it because it can be dangerous.
Even the X-Press Pearl is filed under the invasion of Singapore and has been carrying 1,486 containers using 25 tons of nitric oxide and lots of different chemicals and makeup from the vent of Hazira, India on May 15.
The boat sent out a distress call while still being near the Colombo Port on May 20, and soon caught fire.
Even the Sri Lanka Navy said it’d rescued 25 team members by the freight boat.
Two wounded Indian nationals one of the rescued were hospitalized for treatment, and also a few of these had tested positive for Covid-19, as stated by the medical officials.
The container boat had team members that are Philippine, Chinese, American, Russian and Indian nationals.