Mauritius oil clean-up
A Japanese disaster relief team helping to clean up a devastating oil spill off the Indian Ocean island nation of Mauritiusis focusing on mangroves, beaches and wetlands after most of the oil at sea had been collected, it said on Tuesday.
A Japanese bulk carrier struck a coral reef on July 25, spilling about 1 000 tonnes of fuel oil in what environmentalists say is the country's worst ecological disaster, killing wildlife and damaging pristine waters.
"As most of the spilled oil at sea has been collected, we are moving into a next stage, with the focus on cleaning up the seaside and minimising the environmental impact," Keiji Takechi, deputy team leader, told an online news conference from Mahebourg, Mauritius.
"Environmental experts who can give advice and instruction are needed now."
Japan sent six officials, mainly oil spill experts, to Mauritius last week and plans to send another team of environment ministry officials and specialists this week.
