Mauritius must brace for 'worst case scenario' after oil spill, says PM

FILE PHOTO: A satellite image shows the MV Wakashio ship and the oil spill off the southeast coast of Mauritius, August 8, 2020. Picture taken August 8, 2020. Satellite image ©2020 Maxar Technologies/Handout via REUTERS

NAIROBI (Reuters) - A Japanese ship that ran aground on a reef off Mauritius two weeks ago has now stopped leaking oil into the Indian Ocean but the island nation must still prepare for "a worst case scenario", Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth said late on Monday.

Conservationists said they were starting to find dead fish as well as seabirds covered in oil, increasing fears of an ecological catastrophe despite a massive local cleanup operation that includes making floating booms from leaves and human hair.