BY Pamodi WaravitaAs of 23 July, a total of 307 marine animals have been found dead following the maritime disaster involving the MV X-Press Pearl ship towards the latter part of May. The Wildlife and Forest Conservation Ministry told The Morning yesterday (26) that 258 turtles, 43 dolphins, and six whales have so far been reported dead after the MV X-Press Pearl incident. “Investigations into different marine animals take different time periods and methods. The MV X-Press Pearl ship caught fire on 20 May approximately nine nautical miles away from the Colombo Harbour, after having anchored there a few hours prior to the fire. Environmentalists have speculated that the plastic pellets could plague the country’s marine environment, including its beaches, for years to come.

Source: The Nation July 26, 2021 18:00 UTC