Colombo (AFP)
Sri Lanka on Friday claimed more than $ 17 million (14 million euros) from the Greek owner of an oil tanker that caught fire off its coast in September, causing a major diesel leak.
"The attorney general has forwarded a request for compensation of 3.423 million rupees ($ 17.38 million) for marine pollution to the lawyers of the owner of the New Diamond, linked to the diesel leak in September," he said. the Sri Lankan public prosecutor's office announced in a statement.
The tanker New Diamond was sailing between Kuwait and India, loaded with 270,000 tons of crude oil and 1,700 tons of diesel for its machinery, when a fire broke out on board while it was about 55 km from the Sri Lankan coast.
The oil cargo was not affected by the fire, but diesel had spilled 40 kilometers into the Indian Ocean.
According to the Sri Lankan authorities, between 400 and 480 tons of diesel leaked from this boat registered in Panama.
In October, the captain of the tanker was fined 65,000 dollars (around 55,000 euros) for the leak and for not having informed local authorities of the environmental damage.
The authorities now want to obtain compensation from the owner of the oil tanker, the Greek group Porto Emporios Shipping.
Indian firefighters and coastguard, supported by the Indian and Sri Lankan navies, had succeeded in extinguishing the fire before the boat was towed to the United Arab Emirates.
Porto Emporios had paid $ 2.38 million (€ 2 million) to Sri Lanka for fire-fighting operations.
The fire started after an explosion in the engine room that killed one of the 23 crew members, a Filipino sailor.
The others had been evacuated.
Registered in Panama, the New Diamond is owned by a company registered in Liberia, Porto Emporios Shipping Inc., but is managed by the Greek shipowner New Shippping Limited.
© 2021 AFP