India's move comes as a part of its policy to extend humanitarian assistance and provide disaster relief to its neighbours in the Indian Ocean region and also as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the security and growth of all regions, the MEA said.
India has sent 30 tonnes of technical equipment and a team of specialists on board an Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft to Mauritius to help local authorities deal with an environmental crisis after an oil spill from a Japanese ship, a government official said on Sunday.
A 10-member Indian Coast Guard (ICG) team specialising in containing oil spills has also been deployed to Mauritius, a statement by the Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.
"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.
India has also sent Ayurvedic medicines and a medical team as part of the assistance to help it in dealing with the coronavirus crisis.
"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's move comes as a part of its policy to extend humanitarian assistance and provide disaster relief to its neighbours in the Indian Ocean region and also as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the security and growth of all regions, the MEA further said.
A Japanese bulk carrier struck a coral reef off the Indian Ocean island nation on July 25, spilling about 1,000 tonnes of fuel oil and triggering a state of "environmental emergency".
The carrier split on Saturday, and the oil spill spread over a vast area of endangered corals, fish, and other marine life in what some scientists called the country`s worst ecological disaster.
Last week, Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth declared a state of environmental emergency after a Japanese bulk carrier struck a coral reef off the coast of Mauritius and leaked hundreds of tonnes of oil in the region which is considered environmentally sensitive.
On Saturday, Mauritian authorities informed that the ship, MV Wakashio, has broken apart and the nation appealed to the international community for assistance to deal with the situation.
Scientists say the full impact of the spill is still unfolding, but the damage could affect Mauritius and its tourism-dependent economy for decades. Removing the ship is likely to take months.
(With Reuters inputs)
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