India sends assistance to Mauritius to help deal with oil spill
                     India sends assistance to Mauritius to help deal with oil spill
India has sent 30 tonnes of technical equipment and material on board an IAF aircraft to
Mauritius to help the country contain an oil spill on its pristine south-east coast.
A 10-member Indian Coast Guard (ICG) team specialising in containing oil spill has also
been deployed to Mauritius to extend necessary technical and operational assistance, the
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Sunday.
A Japanese bulk carrier struck a coral reef off the coast of Mauritius in late July and leaked
hundreds of tonnes of oil in the environmentally sensitive region days later.
On Saturday, Mauritian authorities said the ship, MV Wakashio, broke apart. Last week,
Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth declared a state of environmental emergency
and sought international assistance to deal with the situation.
"In response to a request of the government of Mauritius for assistance in dealing with the
environmental crisis due to oil spill on its south-east coast, the government of India has
dispatched over 30 tonnes of technical equipment and material on board an IAF aircraft to
Mauritius  to  supplement  the  country's  ongoing  oil  spill  containment  and  salvage
operations," the MEA said in a statement.
The MEA said India's assistance is in line with its policy to extend humanitarian assistance
and  disaster  relief  to  its  neighbours  in  the  Indian  Ocean  region  and  guided  by  Prime
Minister Narendra Modi's vision of security and growth for all in the region.
It  said  the  urgent  assistance  reflects  the  close  bonds  of  friendship  between  India  and
Mauritius and New Delhi's abiding commitment to assist the people of Mauritius in need.
"The specialized equipment, consisting of ocean booms, river booms, disc skimmers, heli
skimmers, power packs, blowers, salvage barge and oil absorbent graphene pads and other
accessories, is specifically designed to contain the oil slick, skim oil from water, and assist
in clean up and salvage operations," the MEA said.
India has also sent Mauritius essential medicines and other materials to help it in dealing
with  the  coronavirus  pandemic.  A special  consignment  of  Ayurvedic  medicines  and  a
medical team were part of the assistance.