Mauritius faces environmental crisis after devastating fuel spill

A volunteer is seen in the leaked oil from the bulk carrier ship MV Wakashio, belonging to a Japanese company but Panamanianflagged, that ran aground on a reef, at Riviere des Creoles.

A satellite image shows the bulk carrier ship MV Wakashio and its oil spill after it ran aground off the southeast coast of Mauritius, August 7, 2020.

A general view shows the bulk carrier ship MV Wakashio, that ran aground on a reef, at Riviere des Creoles.

This photo provided by the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation Ministry shows oil leaking from the MV Wakashio, a bulk carrier ship that recently ran aground off the southeast coast of Mauritius, Monday, Aug. 10, 2020. The Indian Ocean island of Mauritius has declared a "state of environmental emergency" after the Japanese-owned ship that ran aground offshore days ago began spilling tons of fuel.

A general view shows the bulk carrier ship MV Wakashio, belonging to a Japanese company but Panamanianflagged, that ran aground on a reef, at Riviere des Creoles.

A combination handout photo shows the waters near Pointe d'Esny before and after the oil leak from the bulk carrier ship MV Wakashio, in Pointe d'Esny, Mauritius, on August 1, 2020 and August 6, 2020 in these Copernicus Sentinel-2 imageries obtained by Reuters on August 9, 2020.

This photo provided by the French Defense Ministry shows oil leaking from the MV Wakashio, a bulk carrier ship that recently ran aground off the southeast coast of Mauritius, Sunday Aug. 9, 2020.

A general view shows the leaked oil from the bulk carrier ship MV Wakashio, belonging to a Japanese company but Panamanianflagged, that ran aground on a reef, at Riviere des Creoles

A general view shows the leaked oil from the bulk carrier ship MV Wakashio, belonging to a Japanese company but Panamanianflagged, that ran aground on a reef, at Riviere des Creoles

A drone image shows volunteers preparing to handle leaked oil from the bulk carrier ship MV Wakashio, belonging to a Japanese company but Panamanian-flagged, which ran aground on a reef, at the Riviere des Creoles, on the Mahebourg waterfront, Mauritius, August 10, 2020.

Volunteers handle leaked oil from the bulk carrier ship MV Wakashio, which ran aground on a reef, at the Riviere des Creoles.

A still image taken from a drone video shows a cleanup crew working at the site of an oil spill after the bulk carrier ship MV Wakashio ran aground on a reef, at Riviere des Creoles, Mauritius, August 8, 2020.

A still image taken from a drone video shows a cleanup crew working at the site of an oil spill after the bulk carrier ship MV Wakashio ran aground on a reef, at Riviere des Creoles, Mauritius, August 8, 2020.

Volunteers make improvised oilblocking buoys after a bulk carrier spill, on the Mahebourg waterfront.