A ship that has leaked more than 1,000 tons of oil in pristine waters off the coast of Mauritius has split in two.

An aerial view shows volunteers carrying the handmade oil barrier to block leaked oil from the MV Wakashio bulk carrier on Monday, that had run aground at the beach in Bambous Virieux, southeast Mauritius. Photo: VCG

The bulk carrier MV Wakashio ran aground on a coral reef off the southeastern coast of Mauritius on July 25 and began oozing oil more than a week later, threatening a protected marine park boasting mangrove forests and endangered species. Mauritius declared an environmental emergency and salvage crews raced against the clock to pump the remaining 3,000 tons of oil off the stricken vessel. 

"It was confirmed on August 15 that the vessel has broken into two," the ship's operator Mitsui OSK Lines said in a statement Sunday, noting that the information came from the vessel's owner, Nagashiki Shipping.

The split was caused by a crack in a cargo hold at the vessel's stern, Mitsui said.

Officials had been bracing for the development for days, and images taken Saturday indicated it was inevitable, with the two pieces only partly attached. Nearly all the remaining 3,000 tons of oil had been pumped off the ship by that time, though there were still 90 tons on board, much of it residue from the leakage. 

Mitsui noted on Sunday that "an amount of unrecovered oil is believed to have leaked out of the vessel," without elaborating.

Thousands of Mauritians have volunteered day and night to clean the powder-blue waters that have long attracted honeymooners and tourists. 

Now that the ship has split, the salvage team intends to pull the front two-thirds out to sea using two tugboats to avoid further damage.