Crashed ship near Mauritius sailed off course before disaster, data shows

Records indicated that the Japanese-owned bulk carrier diverted more than 100 kilometres before hitting a reef and leaking 1,000 tonnes of oil into the water

Volunteers prepare to place handmade oil barriers in the sea at the Mahébourg waterfront in Mauritius. AFP

Volunteers prepare a handmade oil barrier to block leaked oil from the bulk carrier ship MV Wakashio. REUTERS

A drone image shows fishermen on a boat as they volunteer near the area where the bulk carrier ship MV Wakashio, belonging to a Japanese company but Panamanian-flagged, ran aground on a reef, at Riviere des Creoles, Mauritius. REUTERS

The MV Wakashio stranded close to Pointe d'Esny, Mauritius. EPA

People prepare a plane carrying light equipment and pollution experts before it flies to Mauritius, following fuel spillage from the bulk carrier ship MV Wakashio, at Saint-Denis de la Reunion airport on the island of Reunion, France. REUTERS

A volunteer is seen in the leaked oil from the bulk carrier ship MV Wakashio. Reuters

Local volunteers clean up oil washing up on the beach from the MV Wakashio. EPA

An aerial photograph shows oil drifting ashore over coral reefs from the MV Wakashio. AFP

A dead starfish is seen following leaked oil from the bulk carrier ship MV Wakashio, Mauritius. Reuters

A drone image shows volunteers preparing to handle leaked oil from the bulk carrier ship MV Wakashio. Reuters

An aerial view shows people scooping leaked oil. AFP

Local volunteers making absorbent barriers of straw stuffed into fabric sacks to contain oil from the MV Wakashio. EPA

Local volunteers lifting absorbent barriers made of straw stuffed into fabric sacks to contain oil from the MV Wakashio. EPA

A general view shows the bulk carrier ship MV Wakashio. Reuters

People scoop leaked oil from the vessel MV Wakashio, belonging to a Japanese company but Panamanian-flagged, that ran aground and caused oil leakage near Blue bay Marine Park in southeast Mauritius. AFP

A helicopter hovers over the vessel MV Wakashio in southeast Mauritius. AFP

The Indian Ocean island of Mauritius has declared a "state of environmental emergency" after the Japanese-owned ship that ran aground offshore days ago began spilling tons of fuel. AP

Local volunteers clean up oil washing up on the beach from the MV Wakashio off the southeast coast of Mauritius. EPA

Local volunteers make absorbent barriers of straw stuffed into fabric sacks to contain oil from the MV Wakashio. EPA

Local volunteers make absorbent barriers of straw stuffed into fabric sacks to contain oil from the MV Wakashio. EPA

An aerial photograph shows oil drifting ashore over coral reefs from the MV Wakashio. EPA

A general view of oil washed up on a beach from the MV Wakashio. EPA

The Japanese-owned bulk carrier that ran aground off Mauritius and spilt oil over pristine waters and fragile coral reefs diverted more than 100 kilometres from a regular shipping lane, data from a maritime analysis firm showed.

The MV Wakashio, owned by Nagashiki Shipping and chartered by Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd, struck a coral reef on Mauritius's southeast coast on July 25 and later began leaking oil. Two of the ship's officers have since been arrested on charges of endangering safe navigation.

The iron-ore carrier was using a well-travelled shipping lane that passes near Mauritius when the accident happened, according to maritime analysis firm Windward and shipping sources.

It appears to have deviated from that lane about 55 nautical miles (102 km) from Mauritius and headed straight for the Indian Ocean island, the data showed. The data shows the ship's track during the last few hours of its journey, including a minor turn after crossing into Mauritius' territorial waters.

"It was on a very bad trajectory," Omer Primor, Windward's head of marketing, told Reuters.

It was not immediately clear why the ship appeared to deviate from its course. Tracking data for other cargo vessels passing close to Mauritius recently show them all sticking to the shipping lane.

The Mauritius coast guard had repeatedly tried to reach the ship to warn it that its course was dangerous but received no reply, Reuters reported this week.

When asked about the Windward data, a Nagashiki Shipping spokesman said: "We have submitted our route record data to the police, but we cannot comment on the data, as the police are investigating the incident".

The company has declined to comment on the report that the coast guard had tried to contact the ship. A spokesman at Mitsui OSK, which chartered the ship, said it was also investigating the carrier's course. He declined to comment further.

One regional maritime official said Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) data he had seen did not show the ship's turn inside Mauritius' territorial waters, but added that it could be because of an inaccuracy in AIS data.

The government of Mauritius and maritime authorities there did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the data.

Mauritius said on Thursday it has started to scuttle the ship, after announcing the plan a day earlier, which had raised alarm from environmentalists worried about further damage after more than 1,000 tonnes of fuel oil leaked.

Scientists say that the full impact of the spill is still unfolding but that the damage could affect Mauritius and its tourism-dependent economy for decades.

The wildlife at risk include the seagrasses blanketing sand in the shallow waters, clownfish living in coral reefs, mangroves systems, and the critically endangered Pink Pigeon, endemic to the island.