Mumbai oil spill poses severe danger to aquatic life

Several aquatic species and sea birds have been found dead because of an oil spill five nautical miles off the city of Mumbai, India. Two Panamanian ships, the MSC Chitra, which was outbound from South Mumbai’s Nava Sheva port, collided with the inbound MV Khalija-III, on August 7. All crew members were rescued. One ship, which was carrying a cargo of diesel fuel and lubricating oil, capsized triggering an oil slick that has spread to a distance of two nautical miles from the capsized ship. The vessel was carrying 2,662 tons of heavy oil in its various tanks and 245 tons of diesel fuel. As a result, hundreds of fish and bird species have died after being fatally stranded amid the polluted waters. (August 13, 2010)