Singapore ship's owners ordered to pay Sri Lanka US$1 billion over plastic spill
Advertisement
The container ship
MV X-Press Pearl , which was carrying chemicals, sank off Colombo in June 2021 after catching fire. The Supreme Court said the incident caused 'unprecedented devastation to the marine environment of Sri Lanka' and harmed the country's economy, especially the lives of the fishing communities.
Judges said the disaster led to the death of 417 turtles, 48 dolphins, eight whales and numerous fish species that washed ashore after the incident. Debris from the ship, including several tonnes of plastic pellets used to make plastic bags, caused severe pollution on beaches.
'This marine environmental disaster constitutes the largest recorded marine plastic spill in the world,' the judgment said. 'It resulted in the widespread release of toxic and hazardous substances into the marine environment, poisoning ocean waters, killing marine species, and destructing phytoplankton.'
Due to the severe marine pollution, the government imposed a fishing ban for well over a year, depriving fishermen of their income and livelihood.
Advertisement
The incident 'continues to cause destruction and harm to Sri Lanka's marine environment,' said the judgement signed by five Supreme Court judges.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
6 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong slams Western countries over criticism of bounties for second straight day
The Hong Kong government has hit out at 'irresponsible remarks' by Western countries for the second straight day following its decision to pursue overseas-based activists for alleged national security violations related to a group called 'Hong Kong Parliament'. Advertisement Authorities said on Sunday that they strongly opposed and disapproved of 'smears with distorted facts' that had been communicated by officials and politicians from countries such as the US, Canada and Australia, as well as 'anti-China organisations'. 'Not only did such foreign government officials and politicians, as well as anti-China organisations, turn a blind eye to illegal acts of criminals, but also deliberately smeared and spread irresponsible remarks, in an attempt to mislead the public, about the measures and actions taken by the [Hong Kong government] in accordance with the law,' the government said. The statement followed a similar one issued a day earlier, which had slammed remarks made by UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, who had described the latest round of bounties as 'transnational repression'. Western governments and politicians have been voicing their criticism since the city's decision on Friday to place bounties on 15 activists and issue new arrest warrants for four more over their involvement in the 'Hong Kong Parliament', a group deemed subversive by authorities. Advertisement US Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the latest round of warrants issued for activists, including those based in his country, saying Washington would not tolerate 'transnational repression on US soil'. In Canada, Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand and Minister of Public Safety Gary Anandasangaree said in a joint statement that actions taken by Hong Kong 'threaten the sovereignty of Canada and security of the people in this country'.
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- South China Morning Post
Police slap bounties on 19 members of ‘subversive' group ‘Hong Kong Parliament'
The city's national security police have placed bounties of up to HK$1 million (US$127,400) on 19 overseas activists involved in a group called 'Hong Kong Parliament', which they called 'subversive' and accused of violating the Beijing-imposed security law by holding an unlawful 'election'. Advertisement The arrest warrants announced on Friday were for Elmer Yuan Gong-yi, Victor Ho Leung-mau, Fok Ka-chi, Choi Ming-da, Chan Lai-chun, Feng Chongyi, Sasha Gong, Ng Man-yan, and Tsang Wai-fan, who were accused of establishing the so-called parliament-in-exile in 2022 That year, the group, mainly founded and run by self-exiled activists, formed an 'electoral committee' in Canada to hold elections that it said 'represents, solidifies and revives Hong Kong people's rights of self-determination'. In May this year, the group said 15,702 votes were cast to elect 15 members for its first 'parliament' and a 'virtual swearing-in ceremony' was held on July 14. Another 10 people were accused by Hong Kong national security police of taking part in the election and swearing in as so-called parliament members, namely Chin Po-fun, Ha Hoi-chun, Hau Chung-yu, Ho Wing-yau, Keung Ka-wai, Tony Lam, Agnes Ng, Wong Chun-wah, Wong Sau-wo, and Zhang Xinyan. The group, which includes businessman and opposition activist Elmer Yuan, held an unlawful 'election' and 'virtual swearing-in ceremony' for a so-called parliament-in-exile earlier this month. Photo: Facebook The government had previously placed bounties of HK$1 million each on Yuan, Ho, Fok, and Choi. A bounty of HK$200,000 was placed on each of the remaining 15 activists listed in the latest announcement.
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- South China Morning Post
Google street nude? Man pictured naked in his yard gets payout
An Argentine captured naked in his yard by a Google Street View camera has been awarded compensation by a court after his bare behind was splashed over the internet for all to see. Advertisement The policeman had sought payment from the internet giant for harm to his dignity, arguing he was behind a two-metre (6.6-foot) wall when a Google camera captured him in the buff, from behind, in small-town Argentina in 2017. His house number and street name were also laid bare, broadcast on Argentine TV covering the story, and shared widely on social media. The man claimed the invasion exposed him to ridicule at work and among his neighbours. Another court last year dismissed the man's claim for damages, ruling he only had himself to blame for 'walking around in inappropriate conditions in the garden of his home'. Advertisement Google, for its part, claimed the perimeter wall was not high enough. Appeals judges, however, concluded the man's dignity had been flagrantly violated, and awarded him an amount in Argentine pesos equivalent to about US$12,500, payable by Google.
