Turtle carcasses wash ashore in Sri Lanka

Colombo: Nearly a hundred carcasses of turtles with throat and shell damage, as well as a dozen of dead dolphins and a blue whale, have washed ashore in Sri Lanka since a container ship burned and sank, raising fears of a severe marine disaster.

Ecologists believe the deaths were directly caused by the fire and release of hazardous chemicals while the Singapore-flagged X-Press Pearl burned for 12 days and sank last week off Sri Lanka's main port in the capital Colombo. Government officials, however, said these causes were provisionally confirmed and the investigation was continuing.

The fire started on the ship on May 20 and dead marine species started washing ashore days later.

A ship manifest seen by The Associated Press said 81 of the ship's nearly 1,500 containers held dangerous goods.

The Sri Lankan navy believes the blaze was caused by its chemical cargo, most of which was destroyed in

the fire.