On 25 July 2020, a bulk carrier vessel, MW Wakashio, ran aground on the reef of Point d’Esny, off the coast of Mauritius. The vessel was carrying nearly 4,200 metric tons (MT) of fuel, including low-sulphur fuel oil (3,894 MT), diesel (207 MT) and lubricant oil (90 MT). The ship is located near ecologically sensitive and important areas, including the Point d’Esny Wetlands, Ile aux Aigrettes Nature Reserve, Blue Bay Marine Area, Mahebourg Fishing Reserves, barachois (coastal lagoons) and mangroves. The Point d’Esny Wetlands are designated as a site of international importance under the Convention on Wetlands (‘Ramsar Convention’). The Nagashiki Shipping Co. Ltd, which owns and manages the vessel, told media in an emailed statement that “due to bad weather and constant pounding over the past few days, the starboard side bunker tanker has been breached and an amount of fuel oil has escaped into the sea.” Preliminary satellite analysis conducted by UNOSAT found that the shipwreck location was approximately 2 kilometres from the shore at Point d’Esny and that 0.23km2 oil spill was observed by 6 August. Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth has declared a “state of environmental emergency” and said that the sinking of the boat “represents a danger” for the people of Mauritius. The country’s approximately 1.3 million inhabitants rely heavily on tourism, which has already been hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. (OCHA, 8 Aug 2020)