(CNN) A huge cleanup operation was underway for a sixth day in Sri Lanka Tuesday after a container ship laden with chemicals caught fire 12 days ago, inundating the country's western coastline with microplastic pollution and potentially hazardous waste. Sri Lankan environmentalists said it is one of the worst ecological disasters in the country's history and have warned of a potential threat to marine life and the fishing industry. Members of the Sri Lanka Navy donned protective suits and rubber boots to remove the plastic pellets, chemical waste and debris that have blanketed beaches near the capital Colombo, including the popular tourist spot of Negombo. The Singaporean-registered ship, called the MS X-Press Pearl, was sailing from India's Gujarat to Colombo when a fire broke out onboard on May 20, as it was nine nautical miles off the Sri Lankan coast. Since then, the Sri Lanka Navy and Indian Coast Guard have been trying to put out the flames and stop the ship from breaking apart or sinking.

Source: CNN June 01, 2021 08:26 UTC