Sri Lanka to recover cost of saving oil tanker from insurance firm

COLOMBO (News1st): Sri Lanka will recover the cost incurred to save an oil tanker that caught fire in its waters, from the vessel's insurance firm, officials said on Sunday. "An international company has provided insurance to the vessel and the fuel on it," Dr Turney Pradeep Kumara, the general manager of the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) said. New Diamond that was sailing under the Panamian flag caught fire on Thursday, requiring strong assistance from the Sri Lanka Air Force and Navy to douse the flames. Foreign security agencies were also part of the operation. Responding to journalists at a media briefing, Kumara conceded that chemicals, ash, and burnt oil that were released due to the fire may have entered Sri Lankan waters. "That is not similar to a large oil spill. However, we assume that there might have been some issue there," the general manager said. Fishermen in the area claimed that the water in that area had developed a greasy texture since the fire. The MEPA's chair Dharshani Lahandapura said it is of the stance that the oil tanker did not have a requirement to enter Sri Lanka's waters. "...if it was to transfer fuel to another vessel, it should have been done out of our waters," Lahandapura told media. She said that the future course of action would be taken following discussions with the owners of the vessel and the insurance company.