Satellite images show MV Wakashio leaking oil off the coast of Mauritius

Pointe d'Esny: Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth declared a "state of environmental emergency" on Friday, August 7,  after bulk carrier ship MV Wakashio began spilling oil after running aground on a reef on the south east coast of the country.

Satellite images released on Friday, August 7 showed a thick oil slick appear all around the area where the ship is currently lying. According to media reports, MV Wakashio is owned by a Japanese company and was making its way to Brazil from China. The ship is believed to have 4,000 tonnes of fuel aboard.

Mauritius, an island lying east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean, is renowned for its pristine environment and is a popular tourist destination.