More than ten turtles, a dolphin, seabirds and several fish have been washed ashore dead in what is turning out to be an environmental disaster in South Asia after the fire tragedy involving the Singapore-registered container ship MV X-Press Pearl in Sri Lankan waters off capital Colombo, media reports said quoting wildlife experts.

An investigation was on to ascertain the cause of the sudden death of the marine creatures, which were found from the beach areas of Puttalam to Mirissa coastal areas.

Under the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance, all sea turtles and their products like their shells and eggs are fully protected. Therefore, their carcasses were sent to the government analyst to conduct further investigations after a court order, Daily Mirror reported.

The turtles were found onshore in Uswetakeiyawa, Panadura, Unawatuna, Wellawatte, Moratuwa and Induruwa beaches. Two turtles were found with injuries from Unawatuna beach, the wildlife officials said.

Most of the turtles that were found dead on the beaches off Panadura and Wellawatte had their carapaces broken. One dead turtle at the Unawatuna beach was found with injures.

A dead dolphin was found washed ashore at the Kosgoda beach. Another five dead turtles were found from the Payagala and Panadura coastal areas.

Several fish species and sea birds were found washed ashore after the MV X-Press Pearl disaster.

MV X-Press Pearl, carrying a cargo of hazardous chemicals and plastic pellets, had sailed from Malaysia to the UAE and was on its return leg from Jebel Ali port in Dubai, UAE to Hamad, Qatar when it caught fire. The port authorities refused to discharge the container in Hazira, India, following with it continued its voyage to Sri Lanka but the fire spread and the ship touched bottom on June 3.
 
(SAM)