The truth is one scientific test away
On autopsies, fingerprinting and more crime-scene mysteries
Hello and welcome to this issue of our newsletter. Every week, Ariel and Khalil, writers based in Mauritius, investigate the impact the oil spill is having on the country and its people, politics and nature.
We all knew something was seriously wrong when 50 melon-headed whales washed up dead and dying on the south-east coast last month.
The government has repeatedly stated that the Wakashio oil spill had nothing to do with the mass beaching. But now an autopsy report suggests otherwise.
Last weekend, the country’s Forensic Science Laboratory discovered traces of oil in a pregnant melon-headed whale. We’re still waiting for the conclusions of that report.
Source: l’express
Greenpeace have repeatedly asked Mauritian authorities to conduct an independent, completely public investigation, and to disclose all the government’s knowledge so far.
It’s been almost two months since the Wakashio oil spill, and the lack of transparency over the disaster is staggering.
It is particularly infuriating that, although we have an agglomeration of experts and ample scientific expertise, we’re still in the dark as to the basic facts of the crash, spill and aftermath.
More on that as you scroll down.
In this issue
The oil fingerprinting mystery
A ‘Special Wakashio Tour’
More protests next month (maybe)
The latest
⚫ A crucial oil test seems to not have been conducted
In yet another important piece for Forbes, Nishan Degnarain wonders what happened to the oil fingerprinting test after the spill. If you, like me, are wondering what exactly oil fingerprinting is, here’s an extract:
Whenever there is an oil spill, conducting oil fingerprinting is one of the first activities that is undertaken (essentially it is the same as collecting blood from a crime scene and conducting a DNA forensic analysis on that blood). This informs all the responders how the oil will react in the ocean water and how toxic the oil is.
It’s basically a geochemical analysis, and only takes a couple of hours to perform. Now, since the oil from the Wakashio is stored in Port Louis, fingerprinting could be conducted at any point in time. But no reports coming from Mauritius mention the analysis.
Degnarain also mentions “mysterious dark substances” swirling on the south-west lagoon near Le Morne (the oil spill happened in the south east). The substance was captured on video and made the rounds on social media.
More: Read the piece on Forbes here (and can someone nominate this guy for a Pulitzer?)
⚫ You can now go on a ‘Special Wakashio Tour’ on Ile aux Aigrettes.
Ile aux Aigrettes is open to visitors again. The islet in Pointe d’Esny was encircled by the oil, prompting intense rescue and conservation efforts to save the nature reserve and its inhabitants.
The Mauritius Wildlife Foundation has planned a 'Special Wakashio Tour’ for visitors, which will give you a thorough overview of the Foundation’s actions since the initial spill on the 6th of August.
More: Défimedia has an interview with the MWF’s Ecotour manager here (in French).
⚫ New protests may be happening next month.
Social activist and maritime security expert Bruneau Laurette has asked for the permission of local authorities to hold protests on November 6 and 7. He had previously requested permission to hold a protest in front of the Prime Minister’s house in Vacoas, which was denied.
If permissions are granted, the protest on the 6th will be held in front of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) head office, and the one on the 7th in front of the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), the state broadcaster.
The MBC infamously ran a story on eggs as its main news segment on August 29, the day 100,000 or so Mauritians protested in Port Louis.
More: Défimedia has more details here (in French).
⚫ The investigation of the tugboat crash is still ongoing
And Captain Bheenick is still missing. It’s been a little over a month since the Sir Gaetan tugboat crashed into a barge while on its way from the site of the Wakashio grounding, killing three crew members. The tugboat sank in the Poudre d’Or lagoon in the north east, and reports state that all the oil onboard was pumped out. The investigation into the tragedy continued this week, as Captain Benoit Barbeau, Port Master at the Mauritius Ports Authority, was interrogated by the Central Investigation Division.
More: Défimedia covers it here (in French).
That’s all from me this week. Hope you are all well, in these tumultuous times.