THE SRI LANKAN Navy has evacuated all crew from the MV X-Press Pearl, a container ship that caught fire on Friday (21).
The vessel had left India's Hazira port on May 15. While it was on the way to Singapore via Colombo an explosion was reported from within the vessel.
“Rescuers evacuated all crew from a container ship off the coast of Sri Lanka as a fire on board intensified and two people were injured,” a spokesman for the Sri Lankan Navy said on Tuesday (25).
Navy spokesman Indika De Silva added that an air force helicopter was using dry chemical powder to douse the fire.
The MV X-Press Pearl was carrying cosmetics and chemicals, including 25 tonnes of nitric acid, and was anchored off Colombo when a container caught fire last Friday, officials said.
Sri Lankan authorities said experts from the Netherlands and Belgium were surveying the ship, while India had promised to send vessels and an aircraft to help fight the fire.
"A special Dutch flight with vital equipment to contain the fire is now expected to reach Sri Lanka," Sri Lanka's shipping minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena said.
Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap perform at Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Police may probe anti-Israel comments at Glastonbury
BRITISH police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation after performers at Glastonbury Festival made anti-Israel comments during their shows.
"We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon," Avon and Somerset Police, in western England, said on X late on Saturday (28).
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan made anti-Israeli chants in separate shows on the West Holts stage on Saturday. One of the members of Bob Vylan chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.
"Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation," the police statement said.
The Israeli Embassy in Britain said it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival".
Prime minister Keir Starmer said earlier this month it was "not appropriate" for Kneecap to appear at Glastonbury.
The band's frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November. He has denied the charge.
A British government minister said it was appalling that the anti-Israel chants had been made at Glastonbury, and that the festival's organisers and the BBC broadcaster - which is showing the event - had questions to answer.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
"I'd also say to the Israeli Embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank," Streeting told Sky News.
"I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he said.
(Reuters)