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Sri Lanka: The X-Press Pearl disaster

Sri Lanka: The X-Press Pearl disaster

How the sinking of a cargo ship in 2021 triggered an environmental crisis in Sri Lanka

The Documentary Podcast · BBC World Service

July 1, 202526m 51s

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Show Notes

In 2021, a huge container ship, the X-Press Pearl caught fire and sank off the coast of Sri Lanka, releasing hazardous materials, toxic chemicals and more than 1000 tonnes of microplastic pellets into the sea. The UN called it an environmental catastrophe. Today, Sri Lanka is still counting the cost. Leana Hosea visits Sri Lanka to investigate the legacy of the disaster, and find out why, four years on, there’s still a battle for compensation.

This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from Assignment, investigations and journeys into the heart of global events.