So far, 500 tonnes have been salvaged from the ship, but 2,500 remain and risk leaking, reports Reuters.
- We deeply and thoroughly apologize for the great inconvenience we have caused, says Akihiko Ono, vice president of the shipping company, according to the news agency.
The holiday paradise of Mauritius, around 180 km off the east coast of Africa, is surrounded by coral reefs and dependent on the sea for both tourism and fishing.
A major leak would not only have extensive ecological, but also economic consequences, and on Friday an "environmental emergency" was issued as a result of the oil spill.
"This is the first time we are facing this type of disaster and we lack the capacity to deal with the problem," the country's Minister of Fisheries Sudheer Maudhoo told al-Jazeera earlier this week.