Mauritius oil spill caused by crew of Japanese ship sailing too close to shore as they chased mobile phone signals: report

The Wakashio was meant to be 22 nautical miles from the coast during its passage, but it narrowed the distance to two nautical miles as the crew tried to enter signal range

The July accident led the government of Mauritius to declare a state of environmental emergency after more than 1,000 tonnes of fuel were spilled into a protected wetland

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The MV Wakashio’s captain and deputy have been detained in Mauritius on suspicion of negligence. Photo: AFP

Published: 2:52pm, 22 Dec 2020Updated: 9:42pm, 22 Dec 2020

One of Japan’s largest shipping companies has admitted that the industry’s worst environmental accident this year was the result of the crew of the bulk carrier MV Wakashio sailing too close to shore as they attempted to pick up mobile phone signals.

The 300-metre ship ran aground on pristine coral reefs just off southern Mauritius on July 25, spilling more than 1,000 tonnes of fuel into the Indian Ocean and leading the country’s government to declare a state of environmental emergency in an area that is listed as a protected wetland of international importance.

The report, released by the Wakashio’s operator Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) on Friday, confirmed that it was meant to be 22 nautical miles off Mauritius during its passage, but that had been narrowed to just two nautical miles “to enter an area within the communication range of mobile phones”.

It also confirmed the crew were using a nautical chart that was too large to accurately show distance from the coast and water depth, and that the crew had failed to keep an adequate watch while the vessel was under way, both visually and by radar.

The crew of the Wakashio “may have undertaken unsafe behaviours due to overconfidence that stems from complacency,” the report said.

The ship’s 58-year-old Indian captain, Sunil Kumar Nandeshwar, and his deputy are presently detained in Mauritius on suspicion of negligence.

A general view of the oil leaking from the MV Wakashio. Photo: EMAE

The Wakashio broke in half weeks after running aground. The bow section was towed away from the reef and scuttled, while salvage operations for the stern section are ongoing.