UN: Sri Lanka ship fire caused ‘significant damage to planet’

The UN says it is coordinating efforts and helping Sri Lanka in assessing the damage and recovery efforts.

The United Nations representative in Sri Lanka has said the sinking of a container ship that caught fire while transporting chemicals off the coast of the capital has caused “significant damage to the planet” by releasing hazardous substances into the ecosystem. The Singapore-flagged MV X-Press Pearl sank off Colombo on Thursday a month after catching fire, raising concerns about a possible environmental disaster. The UN said it was coordinating international efforts and helping Sri Lanka in assessing the damage, recovery efforts and preventing such disasters in the future.