Ship anchored off Panadura begins sinking

A foreign ship anchored off Panadura for the past three years has begun sinking, a ship engineer told the Colombo Gazette today.

Second Engineer M. Muheen said that a  nearby navy camp had informed the engineers to take urgent measures to prevent the ship from sinking as that could result in an oil leak.

However the engineers have refused to address the issue as they have not been paid their dues by the owning company of the vessel.

The vessel was found drifting off the coast of Panadura three years ago and had been anchored there since, pending the outcome of a Court case.

MV Thermopylae Sierra was detained over a dispute on its cargo and with the court case dragging the condition of the ship had been deteriorating.

Engineers were kept on board the vessel but they withdrew saying they had not been given food or other facilities.

If the ship sinks the oil could harm a vast area of marine life and also get washed ashore in Panadura and adjoining areas and pose a threat to other forms of life as well.


(Report by Indika Sri Aravinda)