Families fear that Australia is being too cautious on issue because of China’s economic might.
Smoke rises from a fire on board the MV X-Press Pearl. Salvage experts failed to tow the fire-stricken container ship, raising fears of a marine environmental disaster, officials said. [Handout via Reuters]
A navy spokesperson said the ship could cause severe pollution if it sinks at its current location off the port of Colombo. [Handout via Reuters]
Sri Lankan Navy soldiers work to remove damaged containers that washed ashore from the burning cargo vessel. [Chamila Karunarathne/EPA]
Sri Lankan navy members pull a sack with debris washed off to a beach from the MV X-Press Pearl. [Dinuka Liyanawatte/Reuters]
The fire on board The MV X-Press Pearl erupted on May 20 when the ship was anchored about 9.5 nautical miles (18 kilometres) northwest of Colombo and waiting to enter the port. [Dinuka Liyanawatte/Reuters]
Sri Lanka Air Force personnel collect and clear debris that washed onto the beach from damaged containers on the burning cargo vessel MV X-Press Pearl. [Chamila Karunarathne/EPA]
There are fears that hundreds of tonnes of oil from the vessel's fuel tanks could also leak into the sea if it sinks, devastating nearby marine life. [Chamila Karunarathne/EPA]
A tugboat, right, from the Dutch salvage firm SMIT trying to tow the fire-stricken MV X-Press Pearl away from the coast of Colombo. [Ishara S Kodikara/AFP]
The blaze has destroyed most of the ship’s cargo. Some containers tumbled into the sea, polluting surrounding waters and a long stretch of the island nation’s famed beaches. [Ishara S Kodikara/AFP]