Over 470 marine animals have been reported dead so far due to the disaster caused by the MV X-Press Pearl which caught fire off the coast of Colombo in May.
The Attorney General’s Department informed the Colombo Magistrate’s Court that 417 dead turtles had washed ashore along the coastal belt of the Western Province.
The Department further said the carcasses of 48 dolphins and 08 whales were also found washed ashore.
Earlier it was reported that nearly 200 marine animals had died due to the environmental pollution caused by the MV X-Press Pearl vessel.
The vessel which was transporting hazardous chemicals caught fire off the coast of Colombo, resulting in a number of its cargo toppling into the sea.
Various cargo, including chemicals, and plastic pellets washed ashore along the Western Province coastal belt causing a massive environmental impact on the coastal line.
The carcasses of a number of marine life, including turtles, dolphins, and whales were later found washed ashore as a result of the environmental pollution caused by the vessel. (NewsWire)