France is
sending more experts to Mauritius Monday to help decide the fate of a grounded
ship leaking oil into pristine waters off the coast of the Indian Ocean island.

France had
already sent military planes, ships and equipment to help contain the oil spill,
which also threatens the French island of La Reunion southwest of Mauritius.

The three
additional experts will be tasked with helping the Mauritian government
determine what to do with the wreck, which has split in two, Sebastien Lecornu,
minister for France’s overseas territories, told Franceinfo on Monday.

France was
in favour of an “environmental approach and protection of biodiversity,
and particularly the coast of La Reunion,” he said.

Possibilities
include sinking part of the ship in the open sea, which “is clearly not
our preferred solution”, or to tow the wreck elsewhere and destroy it,
which would require “more time”, the minister said.

No oil
deposits have yet reached Reunion, he added.

The Japanese
bulk carrier MV Wakashio ran aground on a coral reef off the southeastern coast
of Mauritius on July 25 and began oozing oil more than a week later,
threatening a protected marine park with mangrove forests and endangered
species.

Officials
said over the weekend that the ship had broken in two.

Mauritius
declared an environmental emergency and salvage crews raced against the clock
to pump the remaining 3,000 tonnes of oil off the stricken vessel.

After
visiting Mauritius, Lecornu returned to La Reunion late Sunday and said he
believed the clean-up would involve “at least 10 months of work”.