X-PRESS PEARL is sinking and it is being towed into deep seas

COLOMBO (News 1st); The sinking X-PRESS PEARL container ship is being towed into deep seas, said Navy Commander Vice Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne on Tuesday (02).

Andrew Leahy, the Director for South East Asia of MTI Pte Ltd representing the operators of the vessel speaking to News 1st said water was filling inside the hull of the X-PRESS PEARL and salvors from the Netherlands are assessing the situation.

Sri Lanka's State Minister of Fisheries Kanchana Wijesekera said the Department of Fisheries has suspended vessels entering from the Negombo Lagoon and fishing from Panadura to Negombo with immediate effect as the salvage company involved in the X-Press Pearl has indicated that the vessel is sinking at the current position.

The Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) on its Facebook page has posted that the MV X-PRESS PEARL has lost its stability at the stern areas due to a water leak.

Thereby, the MEPA warns this could lead to a sudden oil spill, which is expected to extend from the Dickowita area to the Kapungoda area in Negombo.