The Attorney General informed the Supreme Court today that orders have been obtained from the Colombo Magistrate’s Court and the Colombo High Court to prevent the directors of the local agent company of the MV X-Press Pearl from leaving the country.
The declaration was made by Additional Solicitor General Nerin Pulle, appearing on behalf of the Attorney General, when the Fundamental Rights (FR) petitions filed regarding the incident were taken up today to examine the progress of the implementation of the court’s previous rulings, said Ada Derana reporter.
The Singapore-flagged container vessel MV X-Press Pearl caught fire in May 2021 off Colombo Port and burned for nearly two weeks while carrying 81 containers of hazardous chemicals, including 25 tonnes of nitric acid.
The incident caused widespread marine pollution, with billions of plastic nurdles and toxic substances spilling into Sri Lankan waters, killing marine life and devastating coastal communities. Dead turtles, dolphins, and whales were washed up on beaches for weeks following the disaster.
