Sri Lanka: The X-Press Pearl disaster
In 2021 a huge cargo ship, the X-Press Pearl caught fire and sank off the coast of Sri Lanka, triggering an environmental crisis. The country is still counting the cost.
In 2021, a huge container ship, the X-Press Pearl caught fire and sank off the coast of Sri Lanka, releasing hazardous materials, toxic chemicals and more than 1000 tonnes of microplastic pellets into the sea. The UN called it an environmental catastrophe. Today, Sri Lanka is still counting the cost. Leana Hosea visits Sri Lanka to investigate the legacy of the disaster, and find out why, four years on, there’s still a battle for compensation.
Producer: Alex Last
Local producer: Saroj Pathirana (Fellow, Pulitzer Center's Ocean Reporting Network)
Sound mix: Neil Churchill
Assignment series editor: Penny Murphy
(Image: Container ship X-Press Pearl on fire. Credit: Sri Lanka Ports Authority)
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