To help Mauritius with the ongoing operations to contain a massive oil spill on its shores, India has sent a team of technical personnel and equipment to the country, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Sunday.

A statement by the ministry said, “In response to a request of the Government of Mauritius (GoM) for assistance in dealing with the environmental crisis due to oil spill on its south-east coast, the Government of India has dispatched over 30 tonnes of technical equipment and material on board an IAF Aircraft to Mauritius to supplement the country’s ongoing oil spill containment and salvage operations.”

 Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar said that the 10-member team with over 30 tonnes of technical equipment have already reached Port Louis, where it will start its rescue work. 

“SAGAR Policy at work. To assist Mauritius in its ongoing oilspill containment and salvage operations, an IAF aircraft has just landed in Port Louis with 30T of specialized equipment along with a 10-member Technical Response Team from @IndiaCoastGuard”, Jaishankar tweeted on Sunday.

The 10-member Technical Response Team  has members of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) who are “specially trained” for dealing with such accidents, the statement read.

The specialised equipment include Ocean Booms, River Booms, Disc Skimmers, Heli Skimmers, Power packs, Blowers, Salvage barge and Oil absorbent Graphene pads among other accessories. According to the statement by the MEA, these tools are specially designed “to contain the oil slick, skim oil from water, and assist in clean up and salvage operations.’

A Japanese bulk carrier MV Wakashio struck a coral reef off the coast of Mauritius, an island on the Indian Ocean, on July 25. It spilled about 1,000 tonnes of fuel oil thereby prompting the country to declare “environmental emergency”. In the following days, the ship kept spilling oil before it finally split apart on Saturday. 

The oil spill has endangered marine life including fishes and coral reef. According to scientists, the exact extent of damage is still unfolding, but it could affect Mauritius’ economy for decades, news agency Reuters reported.