New Delhi: India on Sunday dispatched over 30 tonnes of technical equipment and material on board an Indian Air Force (IAF) transport aircraft to Mauritius to supplement the country’s ongoing oil spill containment and salvage operations.
The Mauritius government has requested for assistance in dealing with the environmental crisis due to oil spill on its south-east coast.
“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 ministry of external affairs said in a statement.
#SAGAR Policy at work.
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) August 16, 2020
To assist Mauritius in its ongoing #oilspill containment & salvage operations, an IAF aircraft has just landed in Port Louis with 30T of specialized equipment along with a 10-member Technical Response Team from @IndiaCoastGuard pic.twitter.com/muRYOy6mOp
A 10-member technical response team, consisting of Indian Coast Guard (ICG) personnel specially trained for dealing with oil spill containment measures, has also been deployed to Mauritius to extend necessary technical and operational assistance at the site.
India’s assistance is in line with it’s policy to extend humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to its neighbours in the Indian Ocean region, guided by the Prime Minister’s vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region), it added.
The urgent assistance reflects the close bonds of friendship between India and Mauritius and India’s abiding commitment to assist the people of Mauritius in need, the ministry said.
In a tweet, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said, “#SAGAR Policy at work. To assist Mauritius in its ongoing #oilspill containment & salvage operations, an IAF aircraft has just landed in Port Louis with 30T of specialized equipment along with a 10-member Technical Response Team from @IndiaCoastGuard.”
The Indian assistance follows recent support provided by India to Mauritius in its fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, including supply of essential medicines, a special consignment of Ayurvedic medicines as well as a medical assistance team sent as part of Mission ‘Sagar’.
A Japanese ship named MV Wakashio, which is owned by Nagashiki Shipping and operated by Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd, struck a coral reef resulting in an oil spill of over 1,000 tonnes into the Indian Ocean. The ship was carrying an estimated 4,000 tonnes of oil.
