Sri Lanka grants bail to captain of cargo ship embroiled in one of its worst environmental disasters

The captain of a container ship that caught fire and partially sunk off the coast of Sri Lanka, causing one of the country's worst environmental disasters, was arrested Monday before being granted bail, local police said.

Russian captain Vitaly Tyutkalo appeared before the Colombo High Court for violating the country's Marine Pollutions Prevention Act, which prohibits unauthorized discharge of pollutants. He was not formally charged but is due back in court on July 1, according to police spokesperson Deputy Inspector General Ajith Rohana. Bail was set at 2 million Sri Lankan rupees ($10,000), Rohana said.