Sri Lanka ship disaster: Fishermen feeling the impact

Sri Lanka’s fishermen are already feeling the impact of an unfolding environmental disaster caused by the slow sinking of a fire-ravaged cargo ship that had been loaded with chemicals, The Associated Press reported.

Fishing remained banned along about 80 km of coastline, as debris from the Singapore-flagged MV X-Press Pearl — including tons of plastic pellets and burned fiberglass — continued to wash ashore.

Authorities were also on guard for the possible leak of oil and chemicals from the ship, which started sinking off the country’s main port on Wednesday, a day after a fire that raged on the vessel for 12 days was extinguished.

A lone fisherman, Kinson Jayalath, was defying the ban Friday on Kepumgoda beach, The Associated Press reported.

He said he was trying to catch food for his family but was growing frustrated by the lack of fish in an area where he said there had been plenty just a week ago.

In a nearby village home to many people who depend on the fishing industry, Ajith Nelson said even before the restrictions were announced fishermen were having their nets ruined by huge chunks of cottonlike material that became entangled in them.

While fishing is still allowed in deeper waters, sales of seafood have plummeted because consumers fear chemical contamination, said Herman Kumara of the National Fisheries Solidarity Movement.

As the the ship started to sink, crews tried to tow it into deeper waters away from the port but failed after the ship’s stern became submerged and rested on the seabed 21 meters (70 feet) below the surface.

The ship was continuing to take on water Friday.

Shumel Yoskovitz, CEO of the ship’s operators X-Press Feeders, apologized for disaster in an interview with Channel News Asia.