A special operation has been launched by the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) to assess the damage to the Little Basses Reef after the cargo vessel MV Eurosun met with an accident off the South Eastern coast during the weekend.
The Liberian flagged vessel MV Eurosun had been transporting cement to Trincomalee from the United Arab Emirates when it ran aground on Saturday.
Officials at MEPA confirmed that a five member team had been dispatched to the location to carry out investigations. Officials are to scan the area and conduct a comprehensive study to determine the extent of damage the accident may have caused to the reef. The Sri Lankan Navy had not been able to scan the location at the time of the accident due to adverse weather.
Meanwhile, MV Eurosun had been moved from the sea bed yesterday owing to tidal currents in the area. Navy diving teams had inspected the ship to check for damage to the part of the ship wedged in the rock. The Captain and crew of 18 including Filipinos and Ethiopians were unharmed in the incident and were rescued.