Investigating the Impacts of the Biggest Shipping Pollution Disaster

On May 20, 2021, the X-Press Pearl caught fire off the coast of Colombo, the capital of the Indian Ocean island of Sri Lanka, causing significant environmental damage.

As a result of the spill, an estimated 258 turtles, 43 dolphins, and six whales were killed, and local fishing communities were devastated.

Yet three years on, there is no proper estimate of the true impact on the island nation’s ecology, economy, and its coastal communities. This investigation probes the long-term effects and gives voice to the forgotten fishing communities.